It’s well known that Super Saturday is a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Dubai World Cup with all seven races mirroring the conditions of one of those on the big day,
The seventh meeting of the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, is sponsored by Pillar Partners Emirates with the $260,000 Gr1 Jebel Hatta run over the same turf 1800m as the Gr1 Dubai Turf.
The Jebel Hatta sponsored by Emirates Airline, has attracted a field of 11 but might not be as competitive as the numbers would suggest.
For Britain and David O’Meara, Lord Glitters landed the course and distance Gr2 on his seasonal reappearance, a first success for the 8-year-old Whipper gelding since his career defining victory in the 1600m Gr1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot 2019.
LORD GLITTERS (FR) ridden by Adrie De Vries wins the 9F Group 2 Singspiel Stakes Sponsored By Riviera By Azizi, race 4, at Meydan Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Most recently, he was third, under a penalty, in the Gr2 Al Rashidiya, finishing one place behind Court House who had been allowed to dictate a modest gallop from the outset.
O’Meara said: “His last race was just not run to suit him as there was no pace. He does not have the penalty this time and, hopefully, there will be a stronger gallop.”
Godolphin are seeking a fourth consecutive Jebel Hatta success, as well as seventh in nine years, and have three chances. UAE debutant Al Suhail looks the best hope for Charlie Appleby, who also saddles Art Du Val, in a race the trainer has won thrice to date.
The mount of William Buick, Al Suhail has only run six times, the 4-year-old Dubawi colt winning twice, including his most recent start, the 1600m Listed Bahrain International Sir Henry Stakes at Newmarket in early January.
Appleby said: “Al Suhail had a setback after winning at Newmarket and subsequently we have had our eye on a Dubai campaign for him. His preparation has gone well and he did a nice racecourse gallop at Meydan last week.
“We are hoping that he can run a decent race with an eye on going on to the Group 1 Dubai Turf later in the month, so we expect him to come on for the run, but we have no doubt about his ability to run at this level.
“Art du Val ran a creditable race over this course and distance in the Singspiel Stakes and was also very competitive in the Zabeel Mile last time out. We think the return to 1800m is going to suit, but he will need to up his game again to be in the mix.”
Fellow Godolphin handler, Saeed bin Suroor, has also won the race on six previous occasions. He relies on Royal Marine, a Group One winner as a juvenile in October 2018, but winless since.
Bin Suroor said: “Royal Marine always works well in the mornings, when he shows some real class, but we need him to start displaying it again in races.”
