Dubawi out to get Godolphin off to flyer
Godolphin unleash the first of their big guns for the 2005 season when Dubawi lines up for tomorrow’s UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The son of Dubai Millennium is a hot favourite for the mile Classic after finishing last season unbeaten in three starts.
Dubawi wintered in Dubai and impressed connections in a trial at Nad Al Sheba before jetting back into Britain at the beginning of the week.
Frankie Dettori’s mount is as short as even money with Ladbrokes to give Godolphin and trainer Saeed Bin Suroor the perfect start to their campaign.
“Dubawi is unbeaten and has already won a Group One race. He has wintered well in Dubai and was impressive in a trial there earlier this month,” Bin Suroor told www.godolphin.com.
“He came out of the trial very well and is in good form. His final piece of work was on Saturday and I am really happy with him.”
Dubawi is already just 6-1 to complete the Guineas-Vodafone Derby double and he would be the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to achieve the feat.
Godolphin also run Satchem, but the second favourite is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rob Roy, who finished an unlucky-in-running second in the Craven Stakes last time.
Rob Roy will clash again with that day’s winner, the Jim Bolger-trained Democratic Deficit.
The Soviet Star colt won by a head in the Classic trial earlier this month, but he was some seven and a half lengths adrift of Dubawi in the National Stakes last season.
Bolger told Racing UK: “I can’t say he’s come on an awful lot. We didn’t have to do too much with him since the Craven but we are happy with his condition.
“We’re pretty happy that he’s come out of the race well.
“We wouldn’t want soft ground, so we’re happy enough to have it the way it is.”
Craven Stakes third Kandidate will try to reverse the form tomorrow as trainer Clive Brittain aims for a second 2000 Guineas win.
The master of Carlburg stables took the Newmarket Classic in 1991 with Mystiko, and his trio of Kandidate, Party Boss and Tony James will be out to emulate the feat.
Brittain’s horses are all outsiders, with five-time all-weather winner Party Boss the shortest-priced at 25-1 with Coral.
He said: “All of them are in good form and now it’s just down to which of them is the best. They have all been pleasing in their work and they seem well enough.”
Brittain thinks Kandidate must offer some value at his current odds of 66-1 with William Hill given that he was so close in the Craven Stakes.
“I would say he has decent place claims,” he said. “His Craven run was overlooked really and he was being laid on for the final furlong, which would not have helped his chances.
“He’s done well since that run and the pace there would not have suited us as we would have liked it faster to settle in.
“The others had every chance to go if they wanted to and we weren’t there to make the running for them.”
Party Boss has only raced on turf once, when he finished last of eight in a Kempton maiden last September, but he has proved a revelation since switched to the dirt.
The Silver Patriarch colt won the International Trial Stakes over a mile at Lingfield last time and will not be lacking in experience.
“Party Boss is sharp and ready for it. Although he’s done his winning on the dirt there’s nothing to say he is a dirt horse as he’s by Silver Patriarch, and he definitely wasn’t a dirt runner,” said Brittain.
“He’s shown he gets a mile plus at Wolvehampton, but that he’s also sharp enough to win over seven furlongs, so hopefully he will run well.”
Brittain’s team is completed by last year’s Gimcrack Stakes winner Tony James, who is also a 66-1 chance with Hills.
The son of Xaar ran in Dubai over the winter but he failed to sparkle in two starts on the dirt, so plans to run in the Kentucky Derby were quickly shelved.
Brittain believes Tony James is coming back to his best now and he was delighted after the colt finished fourth in the Free Handicap last time under a penalty.
“Tony James looked like he was coming back to form with that run in the Free Handicap, particularly given that he was giving weight away to everyone,” he added.
“I think he’s definitely coming back to his Gimcrack form. That run was the first sign, and he’s been working well.”
David Elsworth saddles an unknown quantity in Tucker, who scored a narrow victory over Museeb over seven furlongs at the Craven meeting.
“He’s in good form but we’ve not been dealt much luck with the draw. He’s in stall one, which means he’ll be going in first,” said the Whitsbury trainer.
Owner John Guest came close to landing the race with third-placed Barathea Guest in 2000 and he is hoping his rank outsider Capable Guest will spring a surprise tomorrow.
His racing manager Tim Corby feels the Mick Channon-trained colt deserves a shot at the race after finishing second in the Easter Stakes last month.
He said: “After Kempton it was a toss-up between Newmarket and the German 2000 Guineas, but we now take the view that as long as he’s okay after tomorrow’s race we will take him to Cologne on May 16 as there is a gap of just over two weeks.
“Capable Guest has pleased Mick no end since Kempton and we feel he deserves to have a crack as it could be a wide-open heat if for any reason Dubawi doesn’t fire.”
UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas betting:
William Hill: 5-4 Dubawi, 9-2 Rob Roy, 6-1 Footstepsinthesand, 7-1 Iceman, 12-1 Oratorio, 16-1 Democratic Deficit, Diktatorial, 25-1 Party Boss, 33-1 Tucker, 66-1 Elliots World, Kandidate, Rebel Rebel, Satchem, Tony James, 80-1 Mister Genepi, 100-1 Capable Guest, Pvotal Flame, Solent, 150-1 David Junior.
Totesport: 11-10 Dubawi, 9-2 Rob Roy, 11-2 Footstepinthesands, 7-1 Iceman, 12-1 Oratorio, 18-1 Democratic Deficit, Diktatorial, 33-1 Party Boss, 40-1 Elliots World, Tucker, 66-1 Kandidate, Rebel Rebel, Satchem, 80-1 Pivotal Flame, Tony James, 100-1 Mister Genepi, 125-1 Capable Guest, David Junior, Solent.
Ladbrokes: Evens Dubawi, 9-2 Rob Roy, 6-1 Footstepsinthesand, 7-1 Iceman, 11-1 Oratorio, 20-1 Democratic Deficit, Diktatorial, 33-1 Party Boss, 50-1 Tucker, 66-1 Elliots World, Satchem, Tony James, 80-1 Kandidate, Rebel Rebel, 100-1 Mister Genepi, Pivotal Flame, 150-1 Capable Guest, David Junior, Solent.
