The Dubai World Cup Carnival heats up Feb. 23 at Meydan Racecourse with the UAE Oaks (G3) as well as two stakes races positioned as preps for the Dubai Turf (G1T) and a final preliminary for the UAE Derby (G2).
The UAE Oaks for the past two years has produced runners for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and connections of some of the Dubai runners have their eyes on Louisville, Ky. The UAE Oaks is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and largely guarantees the winner a spot in that race with points distributed to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
This year’s UAE Oaks has a field of six with undefeated Manama Gold as the star attraction. The Louisiana-bred daughter of Star Guitar , trained by Fawzi Nass, finished second in a trial in November but has since stormed through two starts. Jockey Adrie de Vries calls the filly “very exciting.”
“She’s still improving and developing and came out of her last race really good,” De Vries said. “She was a bit long in her coat when she started here but she looks fantastic now. I think the further the better for her. She’s got a long stride and she’s very relaxed.”
Friday’s UAE Derby prep is the Al Bastakiya but some of the top 3-year-olds are taking a pass. The field does include UAE Two Thousand Guineas third-place finisher Quartier and Tapit’staleofverve. The latter, a Tapit colt bred and owned by Charles Fipke and trained by Doug Watson, gets another chance after finishing fifth in his career debut Feb. 2.
As for Friday’s turf races, the Godolphin horses look to continue their dominance on the grass at this season’s Carnival but more likely as preparation for European campaigns than for the ever-tough field in the Dubai Turf.
The feature race is the Singspiel Stakes (G2), with three of the top prospects entered by Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby. Of those, stable jockey William Buick selected Ottoman Fleet , a Sea The Stars gelding, over stablemates Highland Avenue and Naval Power . Although Ottoman Fleet finished second to stablemate Measured Time in the Jebel Hatta (G1) last time out, Appleby said he’s the most promising of his three in the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 miles) Singspiel.
“Ottoman Fleet probably brings the most consistent form over the course and distance into what looks a competitive race,” said Appleby. “It was always the plan to come here following a strong run in the Jebel Hatta.
“Naval Power had a few minor setbacks last year but has been training well. This looks a nice starting point to see where we are before taking him back to Europe.”
Godolphin has won the companion Balanchine Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares for six straight years and here, again, Appleby will tighten the girth on three. Buick jumps on Sapphire Seas , a 4-year-old filly by Frankel , in preference to English Rose and Shining Jewel.
Sapphire Seas makes her first start in Dubai after finishing 2023 with four straight, well-spaced wins in England.
“Sapphire Seas looks the filly they all have to beat,” Appleby judged. “She was a good winner of a listed race on her latest start. It’s her first appearance of the year but this will hopefully be a springboard to a nice European campaign.”
Among the four challenging Sheikh Mohammed’s forces is Mimi Kakushi , winner of the 2023 UAE Oaks, who went on to finish eighth in the Kentucky Oaks.
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