Thursday, Mar 20, 2014
Dubai Former UAE champion trainer Doug Watson believes that Meandre and Dux Scholar have the best credentials to end his quest for a victory at next Saturday’s $27.5million Dubai World Cup meeting.
The former, a quadruple Group 1 winner in Europe, runs in the $5million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) over 2,400m, while Dux Scholar chases a maiden win in the premier division when he lines up to contest the $1million (G1) Al Quoz Sprint over a straight five furlongs.
Expressing cautious optimism Watson, who is also primed to saddle three other runners on the big night including Limario, Cooptado and My Catch, said on Thursday: “All my runners are in very good form and are coming around at the right time, but I would have to say Meandre and Dux Scholar are our two best chances. They’re obviously Group 1 winners already, and touch wood everything stays the same, we should get lucky.”
As he prepared for the biggest assignment of the season, the American handler who has been in Dubai since the early 1990s, said that a good post positing and a little bit of luck in running, were also key to succeeding at Meydan Racecourse.
“We need to get a good draw - eight, seven, six or something like that - which give us a little cover as well, to have a good shot at winning,” he said. “We’ve been wide most of the time, but yes, with a decent draw and luck, that could change. But you can’t win of you’re not in the race.”
Watson has enjoyed a respectable success rate at the Dubai World Cup Carnival where he has saddled over 55 winners including Mutamarres who won the 2008 running of the Al Quoz Sprint prior to its inclusion in the 2010 Dubai World Cup card.
Dux Scholar bids to recapture that success when he lines up alongside defending champion Shea Shea from South African, British speedball Sole Power and the much-fancied Hong Kong raider Amber Sky, who was a decisive Group 1 winner in January.
“It’s a very tough race, but our horse is in great form now that we’ve got him back to a straight line. He’s comeback strong and we like our chances and hope to be in the money,” said Watson.
“He was only beaten two lengths in his last start (Meydan Sprint) after a week’s lay-off and we think he’s going to run very well.”
Elaborating on the chances of the globe-trotting Meandre, Watson added: “He’s been travelling a lot and we’ve only had him for four starts, but he’s a very nice horse, a multiple Group 1 winner who is showing great form at home.
“He came to us in very good shape after the Arc de Triomphe and there was not really going to be a race for him until mid February. So we tried him on the Tapeta and that probably did not work out the way we thought it would, so we game him a little more time and got him back over the turf over a mile and ahalf, which is his trip.
“With a little luck and a good draw you never know what can happen. He’s the type of horse that could win it (Sheema Classic) or at least get us a good cheque.”
Watson also believes that Cooptado, who won the Group 1 Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby), will have a genuine chance provided he handles the Tapeta.
“We’re kind of going in there blind on the night as don’t really know how well he will handle the surface,” Watson said. “That’s our main concern, but otherwise he a lovely horse who stays 2,500m. So the 1900m is no worry. We just have to go there and hope for the best.”
By Leslie Wilson Jr. Racing and Special ?Features writer
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
