Hukum

DUBAI, UAE--In the week building up to Dubai's major race day, a growing throng of owners and trainers arrive at Meydan to see their horses in action, and perhaps shoot the breeze with the press pack gathered trackside. At a quiet remove behind the back stretch is the training track favoured by the European horses, with a grass circuit and a Tapeta surface, each to be enjoyed without the hullabaloo of the main racecourse, and with few onlookers present. It is here on Thursday morning that Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al...

The class act of the field, Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), gave Shadwell Stable a dream start to Super Saturday and booked his ticket for Dubai World Cup night when landing the G2 Dubai City Of Gold in a tight finish with Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Drawn widest of all in stall 14, the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum jumped well and gradually manoeuvred to a handy spot tucked away behind the leading pack which was headed by Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who set a steady pace just ahead...

Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the winner of three Group 3s over middle distances last season, is being set toward the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 26. The 5-year-old won Goodwood's Listed Tapster S. in May before finishing third in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot. After that Hukum put together back-to-back scores in the G3 Silver Cup S. and G3 Geoffrey Freer S., and was second in Kempton's G3 September S. before closing out his campaign with a 6 1/2-length win in the...

Last season's G2 Gimcrack S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) will make a belated start to his 3-year-old campaign after suffering a leg injury in his box at trainer Owen Burrows's stable. "Unfortunately Minzaal injured himself in his box before Christmas," said Burrows. "He's had to have surgery and he's back at [owner] Shadwell at the moment recuperating." The first key target for Minzaal's 3-year-old campaign had been the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, but Burrows admitted it will be a race against...

Sheikh Hamdan's G3 Geoffrey Freer S. winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will line up next in the G1 St Leger on Sept. 12. The Owen Burrows-trained colt is looking to extend his perfect record this season, having also taken Royal Ascot's King George V S. on seasonal debut in June. "He's fine, and we're hoping to go to the Leger," said Racing Manager Angus Gold. "He's progressing very well, I was impressed with him at Newbury the other day. It's an extra furlong, but I don't see that...

One of Shadwell's plethora of Royal Ascot winners, Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) took a step forward on Saturday to readily dismiss some seasoned and proficient members of the older brigade in Newbury's G3 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer S. While the G1 St Leger has so far evaded Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, this could be the one after all this time if the head of the empire chooses to channel him in that direction following this emphatic success from one of the operation's most promising young talents. So...

Among some memorable performances at Royal Ascot last week, two that stood out at opposite ends of the distance spectrum were provided by Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The sprinter and the stayer may be poles apart in some respects, but what they share is the fact that, at the age of six, they have been around long enough to be taken to the hearts of the racing public. Six also unites their respective jockeys, Jim Crowley and Frankie Dettori, as that was...