Mahmood Al Zarooni to saddle Biondetti and Dubai Prince for the Group 2, Al Maktoum Challenge Round II
Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni wants to leave his mark on the eighth fixture of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival that falls on the 9th of February. The feature race of the meet is the Group 2, Al Maktoum Challenge Round II for which the trainer has
carefully chosen Biondetti and Dubai Prince.
Both the entries will be competing with the other three Godolphin representatives, Pisco Sour, Prince Bishop and Mendip, that are under training of Saeed bin Suroor.
Biondetti is the four-year-old colt of Bernardini out of Lyphard’s Delta has raced twice during the previous year with getting positioned second in the first start and failing to a tenth ranking in the next attempt.
He was second in the Group 3, Prix Messidor on 16th July at Maisons-laffitte, raced over a mile which was won by Vagabond Shoes.
In 2010 he achieved a hat trick through the wins that he bagged from 6th August till 9th October as after clearing the maiden stakes, he won a conditions stakes on 4th September at Kempton and then extended the winning streak
to a three by winning the Group 1, Premio Gran Criterium on 9th October at San Siro. He was sent as a 23/20 favourite for the race.
For the Group 2, Al Maktoum Challenge Round II, Biondetti will be paired up with Mickael Barzalona.
“We took things easy with Biondetti after the summer and gave him plenty of time to get back into full training. He will run a good race but I expect him to improve for the outing,” commented the trainer.
The four-year-old stable mate, Dubai Prince of Shamardal out of Desert Frolic has a similar starting off pattern as Biondetti, both the colts were victorious in the first three starts of their career.
Dubai Prince was through his maiden stakes on 25th September at Gowran Park and then claimed the Group 3, JRA Killavullan Stakes on 25th October 2010 at Leopardstown.
The third string was attached when Dubai Prince won the Dubai Duty Free Conditions Stakes on 16th September at Newbury.
The final start of the 2011 season culminated in a miserable defeat that left Dubai Prince finishing the race in the end on 15th October at Ascot in the Group 1, Qipco Champion Stakes raced over a mile and two furlongs.
Mahmood Al Zarooni explained: “Dubai Prince is doing well and he is improving with each piece of work.
“I think that he was a little confused at Ascot because he suddenly found himself in a top Group One race.
The connections are speculative that the experience through which Dubai Prince went at Ascot would have trained him for the distance and the elevated grade of the race that is his next aim.
Besides the Godolphin entries there is Richard’s Kid and Master Of Hounds will be competing at the group 2 race too. Godolphin has won the race nine times before already with three in a line from 1994-96 and then consecutively in 2001 and 2002.
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