Dubawi on trail of Dubai gold

Dubawi Gold is aiming to book his Dubai World Cup night ticket with victory in Saturday’s Jebel Hatta at Meydan.

The four-year-old mixed it with the best over a mile last year, finishing second in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas, as well as winning the Celebration Mile.

Trainer Richard Hannon steps him up to nine furlongs for the Emirates-sponsored race, in which he faces 13 rivals, including Michael Bell’s Wigmore Hall and the Luca Cumani-trained Presvis.

“It looks a massively competitive race, but the idea of running in the nine-furlong race rather than the mile is to get a little bit of a feel about where we are heading with him,” said Tim Jones, racing manager to owner Andrew Tinkler.

“He has the option of the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night, but if he sees it out well on Saturday there is the option of stepping up again and going for the 10-furlong Dubai World Cup itself. Equally if he doesn’t stay, we could drop back down for the Godolphin Mile.

“Saturday’s race is on turf, as is the Dubai Duty Free, while the World Cup is on Tapeta, but as he’s a Listed winner on the Polytrack, the surface would hold no fears for us.”

Richard Hannon jnr is overseeing preparations in Dubai, and added: “He is drawn high but we were always going to hold him up as he has never tried nine furlongs before, and he has been working nicely.”

Wigmore Hall lifted this race last year after getting the best of a three-way photo finish with Poet’s Voice and Presvis. He went on to Group One success in Canada and will be having his first start since disappointing in the Champion Stakes last October.

Bell said: “He had a great spring here last year and he seems in very good form this time around. He’s actually a little bit heavier this time but he looks a stronger horse. His breathing has been very good post-exercise so I think we’ve got him pretty much straight.

“It’s a slight concern he’s 30kg heavier but I think that’s because he’s more mature. The plan is the Dubai Duty Free, where we were visually a bit unlucky last year.”