I love Super Saturday. It is a day of prep races for the Dubai World Cup, so it feels a bit like the big day, but there is less security and no issues with parking. It is a great, relaxed, day out and you get to watch two Group 1 races for as little as AED2 ($0.5). Bargain.
Onto the racing, which there is plenty of. There are nine races on the card at Meydan on Saturday and none had fewer declarations than 10, so it will not be an easy afternoon for Pick 6 players.
The official feature is G1 Maktoum Challenge R3 for Thoroughbreds, over the World Cup trip of 2000 meters on dirt. With the big race favorites, Algiers and Country Grammer, safely tucked up in their barns, this is a very open affair.
Salute The Soldier won this in 2021 and he has looked back to his best this season, but it will be hard to dominate this race from his wide draw in 10. There is also a fair bit of pace in the race, with Bendoog also liking to press forward. Bhupat Seemar’s giant four-year-old does not necessarily stop, either, and I fancy him to win this.
The G1 Jebel Hatta, prep race for the Dubai Turf, looks in the hands of Godolphin, who runs four. William Buick has opted to ride Master Of The Seas over Valiant Prince, despite the latter being unbeaten in four runs at this course. With G2 winner Real World — recently gelded — also in the lineup for Saeed bin Suroor, this is a fascinating race, especially as bin Suroor states that Real World is only 85 percent fit for this task. Even that might be just good enough, however, and I will side with him to take his Meydan turf record to two from two.
The G2 Dubai City of Gold is a prep for the Sheema Classic, but, in truth, far superior horses will be traveling over for that race. Saturday’s contest is wide open, with bin Suroor’s White Wolf looking the most interesting one to me. Beaten a short head on soft ground two starts ago, he hated the dirt last time out but should enjoy being back on turf and over 2410 meters here.
The G3 Burj Nahaar also looks open, with 2022 winner Desert Wisdom seemingly not in the same form this year and also drawn wide in 10. Doug Watson has been keen on Canvassed all year, so he is interesting here, but would it not be great if Secret Ambition could roll back the years? The 2021 G2 Godolphin Mile winner ran a good second in the Jebel Ali Mile last time out and may have still needed that run to get fully fit. He is well drawn in three and should be able to have a say in the finish.
The G3 Nad Al-Sheba Turf Sprint also lacks a standout performer but City Walk beat a few of these last time out and is well drawn again. The intriguing Al Dasim represents the three-year-old brigade, having beaten his own age group twice over course and distance. He won in a faster time than City Walk, too, so he is the tentative pick here.
The Listed Al Bastakiya sees 12 three-year-olds compete for a place in the G2 UAE Derby and I think it is Ami Please who will get there. Trained in the US by Doug O’Neill, the daughter of Goldencents ran a game race when second in the G3 UAE Oaks last time and should go well here, although she does have to overcome a poor draw in 11. Go Soldier Go, an impressive maiden winner over course and distance, is another for the shortlist.
The Ras Al-Khor, race seven, is not a prep for anything but may one day move up to pattern level and join the World Cup card. It is hard to get away from Al Suhail, who won a Group 2 over course and distance but carries the same weight as horses rated 25 lbs below. He is quirky but has been handed a very nice task here.
The G3 Mahab Al-Shimaal, prep for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, looks very interesting. Watson is keen on Isolate, who ran a good second on local debut behind Tuz. With that rival now drawn wide, Isolate may be able to make up the three lengths he needs and he gets the nod here.
Lastly, to the first, where 16 Purebred Arabians clash in their G1 Maktoum Challenge R3. Arabians can be unpredictable, but Kerless Del Roc has by far the best form under these conditions and looks the winner to me.