The Dubai Racing Carnival ramps up a gear at Meydan Racecourse Feb. 21 when three graded stakes are likely to throw up contenders for the Dubai World Cup meeting.
Five line up in Friday night’s feature race, the 1,800-meter (approx. 1 1/8-mile) Balanchine Stakes (G2T), including Cinderella’s Dream for trainer Charlie Appleby, who has won this race for the last six years straight. William Buick’s mount won both her starts at Meydan last season before going on to grade 1 success in the United States in the 2024 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T), and a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T).
“We gave Cinderella’s Dream a little break following the Breeders’ Cup and she looks fresh and well,” said Appleby. “This will be her only start in Dubai before we look at taking her back out to North America for the summer. She isn’t finely tuned for this, as it’s the start of hopefully another long campaign, but her preparation has gone well and she looks a worthy favorite.”
Choisya held off all challengers in the Cape Verdi (G2T) over 1,600 meters, and looks to be the main danger to Cinderella’s Dream.
“We’re really pleased with the way Choisya has been training out here in Dubai,” said co-trainer Ed Crisford. “She won the Cape Verdi in good style and I think if she can progress again she’ll be very competitive.”
The international field is completed by Scandinavian raiders Easywithme and Ultima, and Ziggy’s Dream, trained in the United Kingdom by Alice Haynes.
Queen aims to Rule Oaks for Norway
The UAE Oaks (G3) awards 50 Road to the Kentucky Oaks points to the race winner, all but guaranteeing the first-place finisher the opportunity to compete in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Queen Azteca wins the Cocoa Beach Stakes at Meydan Racecourse
That would be a remarkable feat for the Norwegian-trained Queen Azteca, who beat six of Friday’s rivals in the Cocoa Beach Stakes over 1,600 meters last time out and who is expected to enjoy the 1,900 meters here ever better.
“Queen Azteca has come on for the race and will benefit from a little bit further,” said trainer Niels Petersen. “The opposition will be pretty much the same, so of course we are optimistic, but most importantly the filly just looks like she’s getting better and better.
“It’s a big race for us, coming here for so many years, it means a lot to us if we’re able to pull this one off because we know it’s very difficult to win here.”
Keffaaf, King Of Conquest Rematch in Nad Al Sheba Trophy
The Nad Al Sheba Trophy (G3T) offers automatic qualification to the Dubai Gold Cup (G2T) through the Dubai World Cup Bonus Scheme.
Six are hoping to achieve just that, including the first, second, sixth, seventh, and eighth from the Jan. 24 Al Khail Trophy (G3T). Keffaaf , successful that day, holds winning credentials again, having just held off King of Conquest by a head.
“We are very happy with him and he’s very happy with himself,” said trainer Michael Costa. “He worked on Sunday and looks to have improved again from his last run.”
King of Conquest’s trainer Appleby said: “King of Conquest has proven very consistent so far this year and put up another strong effort in the Al Khail Trophy. He takes his racing well and should be very competitive again.”
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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