Abu Dhabi Gold Cup preview: It’s a hell of a race to second guess!

I have been championing international racing for more years that I care to admit, but this week was a whole new experience as I travelled out to Abu Dhabi for the first time ahead of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup, a $1,000,000 contest over a mile on the turf, the biggest prize money yet at the Abu Dhabi Turf Club, and a Listed race to boot.

Trust me when I tell you this is a Country going places who confidently intend to make their mark on the world of horse racing and other leisure pursuits, but a little more of that in my review of race day (to follow).

Although UK prize money makes it tricky for us to attract the World’s best to our shores, recent years have seen more and more European horses look to compete in the likes of Dubai, Hong Kong, America and Japan, and with a big pot up for grabs on Saturday we have a decent line-up expected here as well – money really does talk in the sport of Kings (and Sheikhs).

Heading out a few days before the race, and looked after by the Abu Dhabi Turf Club, Thursday morning saw us off to morning trackwork at Meydan in Dubai where we watched some of the horses in action and discussed among ourselves who looked the best in their work – after all, its winter “back home” and I was intrigued to see who looked healthy with a decent coat and who, if any, could be crossed off my list of potential winners! 

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European prospects

From a European perspective, we have Aomori City (official rating 110 Charlie Appleby), Chicago Critic (108 Johnny Murtagh) Comanche Brave (111 Donnacha O’Brien), Crown Board (105 Jane Chapple-Hyam), Jonquil (115 Andrew Balding), Vafortino (105 Charlie Fellowes), Witness Stand (115 Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole) Quddwah (114 Simon and Ed Crisford) and Tumbler (105 Nicolas Caullery), so mathematically  “we” seem to have a decent chance.

Looking through the formbook and Aomori City finished second in a Group Two at Meydan last time out so he has to be considered on close to home turf for Godolphin, but then again so did Chicago Critic who was only beaten a short head by a rank outsider in the Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai last month and although that was over a furlong shorter, he has won three times over a mile.

Comanche Brave steps away from Ireland for the first time but that should not be a major issue as the O’Brien family have been travelling horses for years and he also placed in a Group Two last time out, in his case when third in the Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown, though Crown Board has a little to find both on the ratings and after his fourth at Meydan in the Group Three Firebreak Stakes where he was beaten over six lengths.

Complicated race

Jonquil is next on my list and as a Group Two winner in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on good to firm ground last August he has to enter calculations, with both runs since in Grade Ones with a length and a half fourth in the Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland in October and a five length ninth behind Notable Speech in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, neither of which are anything to be ashamed of.

Vafortino was last seen finishing fifth in the Jebel Hatta (Group One) at Meydan last month and although he appears to have a bit to find, that was only his third race since swapping yards and if anyone can pull off a shock, Charlie Fellowes is your man.

Then we have Witness Stand, the joint highest rated of the Europeans according to the official handicappers, and a quarter million pound winning son of Expert Eye who has also won a Group Two at Goodwood (in his case the Lennox Stakes last July), but who trailed in a bitterly disappointing last of 15 in the Jebel Hatta, which appears to leave him with plenty to prove, with Tumbler a lively outsider after a career best third to Elnajmm in the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai, less than a length behind Chicago Critic.

Finally, Simon and Ed Crisford have Quddwah entered here after the six-year-old took the Zabeel Mile (Group Two) when one place and a length and a quarter ahead of Aomori City, making this a race that gets more complicated with every word I write.  

The others

Of the others, Japanese raider Strauss catches my eye, partly because he will have the benefit of the “Magic Man” Joao Moreira in the saddle, one of my all-time favourites from his years in Hong Kong, while the “locals” can never be written off with Alba de Mieulle’s Qatar based Dark Trooper yet another to consider for the places at least, and Maljoom, a Group Two winner for William Haggas having his first start for Michael Costa at the age of seven just the sort to catch us all out (and the highest rated in the line-up).

Quite frankly, only using the formbook would have left me scratching my head more than usual, but luckily Thursday morning, we had the chance to head off to Meydan to watch some of the runners work, and steal a quick chat with George Prince, assistant trainer to the Crisfords, followed by the Barrier Draw in the afternoon to keep me busy.

Looking at the track bias and it appears that a lower draw may be a big advantage in a field this size, a fact confirmed by all, with the thought process being that lower than 10 would be acceptable, one to eight even better.

George reported Quddwah to be in fine fettle (he looked a picture at their Dubai satellite yard), while I already had a soft spot for Jonquil, who I have always felt would make up to be an even better four-year-old, and he looked in good heart when working at Meydan Thursday morning, I am delighted to say.

The draw

Naturally, the best laid plans can go wrong in a fraction of a second, and at the end of the draw, there were some very long faces among the connections of the more fancied horses – with the odd exception.

Quddwah drew 14, which did not go down well with Ed Crisford on the night. Maljoom comes out of the 16 box, Comanche Brave 12 and Amori City 13 – making their jobs harder on the night and giving Mickael Barzalona, Silvestre De Sousa, Ryan Moore, and William Buick, respectively, plenty to think about.

Jonquil (Colin Keane) moved up my list with the nine stall just about acceptable and with decent ground anticipated (not as fast as I expected apparently with a good covering of grass to take any sting out of it), he will be my pick in a really competitive contest, while Witness Stand, drawn four, could go well at a bigger price, under the excellent Rossa Ryan.

If the higher drawn horses get involved, I will be surprised, and it will take some jockeyship from the big guns to win from there.

Despite this being the big race, we do have a back-up card and although I have no opinions to offer up on the Arab races (perhaps they are something I need to look into if I can ever find the time as they are brilliant to watch), or the turf handicap, we do also have a Listed race with the mile and a half Abu Dhabi Championship.

Strong representation

Once more, the Europeans are strongly represented with six of the 16 entries, but no need to go through them all here and I will focus on those I feel are in with a chance.

The highest rated in Charlie Appleby’s Royal Power, the winner of a Meydan handicap last time out – but that was back in February 2025 and despite all their amazing training facilities, it looks a task and a half to have him spot on for this after exactly a year off the track.

He could still surprise us all, Godolphin have a habit of doing that in the Middle East, but I narrowly prefer the chances of West Wind Blows for the Crisfords, who could have a decent day here.

The seven-year-old Teofilo gelding has won six of his eighteen starts, two at Group Three level, though his most impressive win (for me anyway) was a seven and a half length romp in the Listed Glasgow Stakes back in 2022.

That was on good to firm going, so the faster the better for Saturday, and with a weakening fourth over further at Meydan last month to put him spot-on for this, I am hopeful he will hit the top three places at the very least.

He looked good at the Crisford stable Thursday morning and may have more to come having missed close to two years between his TAB Champions Stakes ninth in November 2023 and his return at Kempton in November last year, with Claymore another to at least consider.

Suggestions:

Jonquil to win 4.00pm Abu Dhabi Saturday 7^th February

West Wind Blows to win 3.20pm Abu Dhabi Saturday 7^th February

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