Tuz

Meydan's Super Saturday card went ahead despite military action in the Middle East which saw a fire break out at Dubai's luxury Fairmont The Palm Hotel. US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a "pre-emptive" strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons. The attack prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East. Veteran racing broadcaster Derek Thompson was at Meydan on Saturday and said "bangs and flashes" were visible....

Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, AL MAKTOUM CLASSIC-G2, AED1,700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 2000m Field: Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.), Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn), Meydaan (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Generous Tipper (Street Sense), Tap Leader (Tapiture), Masmak (Vino Rosso), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Antrim (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) TDN Analysis: This course-and-distance lead-up to the G1 Dubai World Cup shapes pretty quick on paper and that should suit Heart of Honor right down to the ground. Winner of the Listed The Entisar...

Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, AL MAKTOUM CLASSIC-G2, AED1,700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 2000m Field: Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.), Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn), Meydaan (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Generous Tipper (Street Sense), Tap Leader (Tapiture), Killer Collect (Collected), Masmak (Vino Rosso), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Antrim (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) TDN Analysis: This course-and-distance lead-up to the G1 Dubai World Cup shapes pretty quick on paper and that should suit Heart of Honor right down to the ground. Winner of the...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- In the history of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen dating back to 1996, no 3-year-old had ever succeeded in defeating their elders in the 1200-meter dash. Only two Northern Hemisphere-bred sophomores had so much as tried. That all changed in the space of 71 seconds and some change under the Saturday night lights at Meydan, as Dark Saffron (Flameaway) busted away from the outside stall and made every yard a winning one, holding off Nakatomi (Firing Line) and a desperately unlucky defending champion Tuz (Oxbow)...

Previews by Alan Carasso, Brian Sheerin, Adam Houghton & Heather Anderson DUBAI, UAE -- After Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) overcame a torrid trip to take out the G2 UAE Derby some 373 days ago, big-spending Japanese owner Susumu Fujita boldly commented: "Looking forward, I would like to underline that I would like to win the Dubai World Cup." If ante-post markets are to be believed, those dreams are likely to become reality under the Saturday evening lights at Meydan Racecourse, as Forever Young is expected to jump a...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- There's that age-old saying in the Thoroughbred business that a good horse can come from anywhere. Perhaps no equine athlete in training anywhere in the world embodies that axiom more than Tuz (Oxbow). At the ripe old age of eight, the burly dark bay gelding--he stands 16.3hh--is in career form, arguably even better than when he won the 2024 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and that's really saying something, as he kicked away from his rivals late on that occasion to dominate by a towering 6...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- When one thinks of the Calumet Farm of old, legends of the American turf such as Citation, Whirlaway, Tim Tam and the great Alydar come to mind. The Lexington breeding and racing operation now owned by successful businessman Brad Kelley, Calumet has the distinction of being represented by a couple of horses at Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting--one a product of their breeding operation and the other who will carry the farm's black colors and gold chevrons in the main event. Calumet is the breeder...

With less than five weeks remaining to Dubai World Cup night at the sprawling Meydan Racecourse Apr. 5, the American challenge for the $12-million main event is coming together, with at least two U.S.-based middle-distance gallopers targeting the 2000-meter contest. Wathnan Racing's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) has come out of his distant third-place effort to 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap in good order and connections have accepted an invitation to the World Cup, Case Clay, Wathnan's U.S. advisor, confirmed Sunday. "Will pow-wow...

If last week's Saudi Cup card in Riyadh was dominated by Japanese-trained runners, then Super Saturday at Meydan was the day that Charlie Appleby and Godolphin served notice to the world that this is a team which will take some stopping in the weeks and months to come. At a meeting which is ostensibly made up of trials for Dubai World Cup night in five weeks' time, it was two winners with Classic pretensions back in Europe who arguably created the biggest impression, certainly so in the case of Ruling...

Meydan's nine-race Super Saturday card features eight Thoroughbred contests, with several of them offering automatic entry into the big day in April. The G2 Al Maktoum Classic is one such race, with last year's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge hero Kabirkhan (California Chrome) signed on. Trained by Doug Watson and the very image of his dual American Horse of the Year sire, the 5-year-old entire was only eighth to Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the G1 Dubai World Cup last March, and returned to action with a seventh-place finish defending his...

The G2 Zabeel Mile Sponsored by Phi Advertising is the official feature on Friday's 'Sword Of Honour' raceday at Meydan, with last year's winner San Donato (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) featuring in a nine-strong field as he tries to emulate Safety Check (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the only previous dual winner of the race in 2015 and 2016. Successful in 2024 when trained by Doug Watson, the nine-year-old San Donato is now with Michael Costa and shaped with plenty of encouragement on his first start for the stable when filling...

Last seen finishing the distant runner-up behind Tuz (Oxbow) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Mar. 30, Don Frankie (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) turned in an ideal prep for an expected date in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with an all-the-way victory in Wednesday's $353,808 Listed Cluster Cup at Morioka Raceourse on the National Association of Racing circuit. An agile individual for a horse that tipped the scales Wednesday at 607 kg (1335 pounds), Don Frankie was ridden for speed from gate seven by Kenichi Ikezoe and made...