2019 Super Saturday meet at Meydan Racecourse
Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, March 9
The 10th and final meeting of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival popularly known as "Super Saturday" takes place at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, March 9. Super Saturday meeting acts as a traditional dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup, which this year takes place on March 30.
The Carnival and Super Saturday provide horses, especially for the local owners and trainers, an opportunity to improve their rating and qualify for races on World Cup night.
The Dubai World Cup, the richest night in horse racing consists of nine races but the Super Saturday is a seven-race card with two races having already been run earlier in the Carnival because of time constraints.
Saturday's meeting takes place at Dubai's flagship racecourse Meydan, which is also the venue for the Dubai World Cup later this month.
The first race takes place at 7 am EST.
Super Saturday Schedule
Saturday's card consists of two Group 1 prizes, one Group 2, three Group 3's and a Listed race for a total prize fund of US$2.65 million.
Race 1 at 7am EST:
Mahab Al Shimaal is run over the Dubai Golden Shaheen distance of 1,200m on dirt. The race will have an international flavour with runners trained in the USA (Switzerland), Ireland (Tato Key), Sweden (I Kirk) and Bahrain (Nine Below Zero).Race 2 at 7:35am EST:
Al Bastakiya is the UAE Derby trial, a Listed race on dirt that has drawn 14 runners, including Godolphin's 2000 Guineas winner Estihdaaf and UAE Oaks winner Divine Image.
Race 3 at 8:10am EST:
The Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint is run over the 1,200m Al Quoz Sprint distance on turf.
Race 4 at 8:45am EST:
The Group 3 Burj Nahar serves as a trial for the Godolphin Mile, the opening race on World Cup night.
Race 5 at 9:20am EST:
The Dubai City of Gold is run over the Dubai Sheema Classic distance of 2,410m on turf.
Race 6 at 9:55am EST:
The Maktoum Challenge Round 3 is the feature race and the World Cup trial over 2,000m on dirt. Godolphin's Thunder Snow, winner of the 2018 Dubai World Cup, returns for his first run of the season.
Race 7 at 10:30am EST:
The Group 1 Jebel Hatta is a turf race over 1,800m over the Dubai Turf course and distance.
Reigning Dubai World Cup Winner Thunder Snow Prepping To Defend Title
It was only a matter of time until the equine king of UAE racing resurfaced and such appears to have come. Godolphin's Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) champion Thunder Snow is ready to make his 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival debut, according to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, and is on schedule for Super Saturday's Group 1 $600,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on March 9.
The son of Helmet appeared to have his head in the game on Tuesday morning when making a rare appearance at Meydan track work. Based at Godolphin's Al Quoz training centre a five-minute drive away, the bay was joined by five others members of the 'blue army' and was full of himself while galloping two laps with recent Carnival winner Major Partnership and Very Talented, who lines up in Thursday's $160,000 Curlin Handicap.
2019 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Odds & Entries
Race 6 on Dubai's Saturday card with a Post Time of 9:55 AM
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOGRADO [ARG] | 30-1 | A Fresu 126 Lbs |
E Charpy |
| 2 | THUNDER SNOW [IRE] | 1-1 | C Soumillon 126 Lbs |
Saeed bin Suroor |
| 3 | NEW TRAILS [USA] | 10-1 | C Beasley 126 Lbs |
A Bin Harmash |
| 4 | GRONKOWSKI [USA] | 8-1 | R Ffrench 126 Lbs |
S Bin Ghadayer |
| 5 | MONTSARRAT [IRE] | 50-1 | X Ziani 126 Lbs |
S Bin Ghadayer |
| 6 | DOLKONG [USA] | 12-1 | O Doleuze 126 Lbs |
S Foster |
| 7 | COSMO CHARLIE [USA] | 15-1 | P Dobbs 126 Lbs |
D Watson |
| 8 | NORDIC LIGHTS [GB] | 15-1 | W Buick 126 Lbs |
Charlie Appleby |
| 9 | CAPEZZANO [USA] | 3-1 | M Barzalona 126 Lbs |
S Bin Ghadayer |
| 10 | FURIA CRUZADA [CHI] | 30-1 | L Dettori 121 Lbs |
E Charpy |
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Retired six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon, who turned 53 this week, was in the saddle as the 2017 UAE Derby (G2) and UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) winner distanced himself from his yard-mates on the second lap after tracking them on the first. Many high-profile connections were there to see the spirited routine move.
"He did his main work at Al Quoz, but sometimes I take a group of horses to Meydan to get a feel or the dirt track," Bin Suroor said. "We show them the track and get some exercise on it. It's just routine and he looked good on it.
"He's going to be ready for Super Saturday, but he will surely improve from the run," he continued. "He hasn't raced since November of last year (when third in the Grade 1 $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs). He's had a nice break and we are happy with how he's moved in his work. A week before the race, he will have another blowout at Al Quoz and we will be ready to run. Whatever happens, he will need the run and improve from it."
A horse who could possibly challenge the multi-surface Group 1 winner in the 2000m race is His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Muntazah, who is trained by Doug Watson and carries the dark blue and white of Shadwell. Exiting a one-sided victory in the Firebreak Stakes (G3) over 1600m and being a Godolphin Mile (G2) runner-up last year, he has the option of staying at the shorter distance in the Burj Nahaar (G3) on Super Saturday, as well. The son of Dubawi was originally scheduled to try a distance of ground in the 1900m Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2), but tied up two days prior and was rerouted to the following week's Firebreak.
"He's come out of his run really well and what we will likely do is enter both races and make a decision after discussing," Watson said. "It will be up to the boss. As far as the distance, I think it's more on breeding and what I do is try to get them there fresh and fit. He had an easy work Monday and did it well; moved great. He will have another work that's not overly fast, but in company on (Mar. 4). So far, all is well with him.
"I will likely have (Ramzan Kadyrov's multiple Listed winner) Cosmo Charlie in there and look forward to not taking on North America, because they have such similar styles," Watson continued. "He likes an uninhibited running style on the front and to be on the rail."
One who has been trading blows with Cosmo Charlie the last two times they met is Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi's New Trails, who is also pointing toward Round 3 in what will be just his eighth lifetime start. The 5-year-old half-brother to Grade 2 winner Tizaqueena has been filling trainer Ahmad bin Harmash with confidence.
"He's doing very well and is still very new and learning," Bin Harmash said. "His (second-place finish to North America) last out in (Round 2) was only his seventh run in his life and every day he seems to improve more; every race is better than the one before. Right now, Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge is the plan and hopefully that will put us in the World Cup. Right now it's all about the big day, but we also know he is a horse who will be even better next year."
Meanwhile, JRA official have reported that K T Brave is pointing to the Dubai World Cup for owner Kazuyoshi Takimoto. Trained by Haruki Sugiyama, the chestnut 6-year-old exits a pair of placings in the 2100m Kawasaki Kinen (Listed) and 2000m Tokyo Daishoten (G1). This fall, he won both the JBC Classic (Listed) and Nippon TV Hai (Listed) over Group 1 winners Omega Perfume and Apollo Kentucky.
