Dubai Gold Cup Guide 2022

A third string for Godolphin and another runner for Saeed bin Suroor. The 7 year old slowly made his way up in handicap company and looked special when scoring over 2 miles easily.

A stint over in Dubai last season yielded a Group 3 win over 14 furlongs before disappointing in this race to be stone last. However he’s been running well over in Meydan again this winter, running well in listed and handicap company.

Twelve furlongs was much too sharp last time out so he can be forgiven a lacklustre performance. Going back up to 2 miles will suit.

A Japanese raider for Yoshito Yahagi, this experienced 7 year old has run a massive 29 times in his career amassing over £3,000,000 in prize money.

Despite the big earnings, he’s only been successful twice in his career. Winning a valuable Group 2 as a 3 year old over a mile and a half, he then went on a barren run which saw him accumulate a few decent placed efforts.

He bounced back to form when last seen when trying a staying trip for the first time and winning a Group 3 handicap at Riyadh, beating Baron Samedi.

Stamina proven, he won with bundles in hand last time out and looks like he’ll appreciate going even further here.

Jamie Osborne’s Alignak has been over in Meydan for a few months contesting some decent races over there this winter.
He spent the majority of his career running over a mile and a half, scoring at listed level and running well in group company behind the likes of Hukum.

The 6 year old ran well to be 3rd over 2 miles in a conditions race on the All weather at the end of last year.

Over in Dubai he’s mainly been running over a mile and a half again but put in his best performance over a mile and 6 furlongs in a listed race.

Stepping up in trip will likely bring about some improvement but he’s got to show some real quality to get involved in the finish.

Saeed bin Suroor’s 6 year old gelding Passion and Glory is seemingly the second string for Godolphin here.

He’s mainly been campaigned over intermediate trips, all over his wins coming between 10 and 12 furlongs. He managed to score a Group 3 over a mile and half at Goodwood beating Euchen Glen last summer.

Running over in Dubai this winter, he has run quite poorly to be well beaten on all 3 starts. He’s unexposed at the trip but has stamina to prove. He has run well in Group 1 company before.

Ian Williams’ charge began his career in the UAE with Mahmoud Hussain before moving over to England. After being unsuccessful in any of his initial 14 runs, he scored in handicap company at the first time of asking at Newbury.

He moved up to 2 miles and ran well multiple times in handicap company, winning twice over the long trip and running well in defeat many times.

Last seen running a stormer behind Manobo, despite being sent off at 66/1 he ran creditably to be 2nd behind the market leader for this. Going further will suit him more and with a recent run he could shape even better.

Starting his career over with Aidan O’Brien, Emperor Of The Sun broke his maiden as a 2 year old before moving to Donnacha O'Brien's yard.

He ran well in his 3 year old season and finished 2nd to eventual St Leger winner Galileo Chrome in a listed race. He stepped up in trip as a 4 year old but failed to acquit himself well over 2 miles in deep races.

He’s since been sold onto Bahrain and is now trained by Fawzi Abdulla Nass. He's only run once for his new connections over an inadequate 12 furlongs at Sakhir.

Going up in trip will help but he’s failed to run well at this level before.

After starting life with Richard Hannon, Al Madhar made a perfect start to racing as a 2 year old but struggled to build upon opening success in his 3 year old season.

Gelded off the back of a poor season, he continued to decline before moving over to the UAE and Al Mheiri for training.

He has since recaptured some form and has been successful twice in handicap company over 10 furlongs after initially trying 7 furlong races.

He’s yet to try long distance trips so has stamina to prove.

Making the trip over from Argentina is Mirinaque. Starting life over in America with Wesley Ward however he was able to win twice under Ward’s care when capturing two Group 1’s as a 3 year old. He then moved over to Maria Cristina Munoz in Argentina after disappointing as a 4 year old.

He’s run in handicap company and Group 1 company since, running well in defeat multiple times over intermediate trips. He also ran in the handicap won by Stay Foolish last time out.

He travelled well but weakened out of proceedings into 6th.

His stamina doest look guaranteed to get the 2 miles here and he’s lacking recent wins to build any confidence.

Joseph O’Brien’s 5 year old gelding took a while to find his feet racing but struggled to win until landing a handicap win after being gelded.

This brought about improvement and he went on to win his next six starts as he climbed into group company, scoring Group 2 honours before a close 3rd in the Irish St Leger. Rounding out the season being well beaten in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

He made a solid seasonal comeback to be 4th in a Group 3 handicap over a mile and 7 furlongs in Riyadh, staying on well. This trip should suit and he’s match fit.

David Simcock sends over his 5 year old Rodrigo Diaz. Sent off mammoth prices for his three attempts in maiden and novice company, he garnered a lowly looking handicap mark that he exploited.

Winning a trifecta of handicaps, he came back last season and scored in a low level handicap off a mark of 83. He slowly moved up in grade and kept running well without winning. Stepping up to group company saw him run well behind the talented Hukum.

His stamina looked to waver over 18 furlongs in the Doncaster Cup behind Stradivarius though and he was well beaten by Manobo last time out.

Japanese trained Veloce Oro. He’s only run eight times, winning twice. Scoring on debut as a 2 year old, he then struggled when tried in higher grades.

Having some long breaks between his races, saw him beaten over intermediate trips and a try over 1 mile and 7 furlongs where he finished 6th in a Group 1.

He did manage to score over 12 furlongs in handicap company at the end of last year. Stepped up in trip again when last seen saw him run well in a Group 3 handicap over 2 miles and 1 furlong.

His stamina still doesn’t look assured, nor does his quality.

Trained in the United Arab Emirates, Castlebar began his career in the care of Charlie Appleby. Winning a novice event and a handicap for 3 year olds over 10 furlongs.

He then made his move over to the UAE at the end of last year for his 4 year old season but he’s only won once over 10 furlongs.

Castlebar did run well on his last run in a Group 3 over 10 furlongs at a big price, staying on well. However he has got 6 furlongs of unexplored territory to conquer and he might not get the trip.

A lightly raced 4 year old for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, Manobo is unbeaten in his 5 runs under rules.
Starting life racing as a 3 year old he quickly broke his maiden and followed up in a novice.

Trips over to France saw him pick up a listed race over 12 furlongs before stepping up in trip and winning over just shy of 2 miles in Group 2 company.

Last seen here at Meydan over 14 furlongs in a Group 3 event, Manobo justified favouritism to run over a ready winner. Stamina assured and a recent run under his belt he’s certainly the one to beat.