By Alan Carasso
Dundonnell (First Defence) and Fabulous One (NZ) (Elusive City) remain on track for a possible appearance in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Mar. 25, despite finishing a close third and fourth, respectively, in a Class 1 handicap that served as the Wednesday feature on a rare night program at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Having his first run in seven months and trying the dirt track for the first time, Fabulous One was expected to be the pacesetter and ultimately worked his way to the lead from his high draw, but had to work hard to get there. Conversely, Dundonnell was slow to begin and lingered toward the rear of the field for the opening 800m. Fabulous One (130 pounds) cornered in front and did not appear to be stopping as the field raced into the final furlong. He began to tire with a little more than 100 metres to race and was beaten about a half-length into fourth by Eroico (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}). Dundonnell (133 pounds) was quietly ridden around the turn, came wide for the drive and came his final quarter-mile in :22.95 to miss narrowly (video).
“Yes, Dubai is still on,” Fabulous One's trainer Chris So told the Hong Kong Jockey Club's David Morgan. “That was a good run. I'm happy with the horse–of course, if he'd won I'd have been happier. But he carried 130 (pounds) and he's run really well. The sectionals were quick early and he stayed on well, he just got tired the last strides, which is understandable, this is his first run for a long time and with that weight, too.”
Dundonnell also did enough to merit the trip, his trainer Caspar Fownes insisted.
“I'm very keen to take him to Dubai after that,” Fownes told Morgan. “I'm happy, that was a great effort, carrying 133 (pounds) against some seasoned dirt horses there. He's run on really well. I'd have liked to have seen him just truck up through them but things didn't go according to plan. Another stride or two past the post he was there. He's a dirt horse, there's no doubt about it.”
Dundonnell and his stablemate Gun Pit (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) could each run on Super Saturday at Meydan Mar. 4.
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