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Quip in Dubai
Thursday s Group 2, $293,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over 1900m (9.5 furlongs) has drawn a field filled with questions soon to be answered on the road to the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1). Many of those queries circulate around the conditions of the race, whether it be the dirt surface for turf-bred full-brothers Dubai Warrior and Mootasadir, class-level for Firnas, Mark of Approval and Ajuste Fiscal, or the distance for assumed milers Quip, Salute the Soldier, Thegreatcollection, Blown By Wind and Capezzano.
RRR Racing s 6-year-old Quip offers arguably the most intrigue on Thursday. A Satish Seemar trainee, the 2019 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner makes just his 15th start and second this season after finishing a non-threatening ninth last out in the Al Maktoum Challenge R1 (G2) at one mile. He does have a victory in lofty American company over nine furlongs, but has not raced to that form in three Dubai tries. That said, with his light
Secret Ambition, Kimbear Renew Rivalry In Dubai This Thursday Sponsored by:
Kimbear (centre) wins the 2020 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over Secret Ambition (left) & North America
Old rivals Secret Ambition and Kimbear spark anew their competitive relationship this Thursday in the Group 3 $130,000 Firebreak Stakes at Meydan Racecourse. Rated 109 and 108, respectively, the pair have faced off seven times, dating back to the 2018 Burj Nahaar (G3) when RRR Racing s (HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi) Kimbear defeated Nasir Askar s runner-up Secret Ambition.
In four of their seven meetings, they have finished adjacent on the results chart, including three one-two finishes. All in all, Kimbear has a 4-3 lead on his friendly foe.
Frankie Dettori Doubles On Opening Night Of Dubai World Cup Carnival Sponsored by:
Frankie Dettori pilots Equilateral to victory in the Dubai Dash
The Longines World s Best Jockey Frankie Dettori will be riding in the UAE through March, and recorded victories in the final two of seven races on opening night at the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday.
Dettori piloted Godolphin s Land of Legends to win the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, and Equilateral to win the listed Dubai Dash for trainer Charlie Hills.
“I ve been watching this horse for the last three years,” Dettori said of Equilateral. “What he likes is a very fast, slick, five furlong track. Sometimes the English tracks are too demanding for him, but this is tailor-made for him.”
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Quip in Dubai
Racing at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday evening, the track s final meeting of 2020, is presented by pillar partner Longines and features the Group 2 Madjani Stakes, the only Purebred Arabian race on the card, as well as the Listed Dubai Creek Mile, the Thoroughbred highlight.
Nine have been declared for the Listed Dubai Creek Mile presented by Longines, including last year s winner Secret Ambition, one of two in the field for Satish Seemar. The trainer landed the first two editions of this race, inaugurated in 2013, with Surfer, the only dual winner of the contest to date. As was the case 12 months ago, Tadhg O Shea is in the saddle aboard the 7-year-old Exceed And Excel entire who was able to defy a penalty last year, an impost earned for his victory in the 2019 Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile.