Thursday's G3 Firebreak S. pits the defending winner against some legitimate contenders, and providing plenty of intrigue is Whisky Baron (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}), who will be the first starter in Dubai for successful South African trainer Brett Crawford. Whisky Baron enjoyed a purple patch in South Africa last season, a five-race win streak culminating in victory in the G1 Sun Met over Horse of the Year Legal Eagle (SAf) (Greys Inn). The 5-year-old traveled to Britain over the summer but was a non-threatening sixth when last seen in the G2 Joel S. on Sept. 29 behind star miler Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}).
The aforementioned defending winner Championship (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) had to sit out the big features last year after being injured following that victory, and he beat just one home when returning in the Feb. 1 G2 Al Fahidi Fort, which he also won last year.
Mike de Kock's Janoobi (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) went down by a hard-fought three quarters of a length to Jungle Cat (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the Al Fahidi Fort, with Godolphin's Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) also not disgraced while pinned down on the fence in third. Charlie Appleby saddles Bay Of Poets (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who drops back a furlong after two fair efforts going 1800 metres.
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