Godolphin Racing’s unbeaten Discreet Cat will use the $200,000 Burj Nahaar (UAE-G3) on the Super Thursday card at Nad al Sheba racecourse to prepare for the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and a likely showdown against Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg).
There had been speculation that the four-year-old Forestry colt, an Eclipse Award finalist for champion sprinter, would train up to the $6-million World Cup on March 31, but Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said Monday that Godolphin would enter Discreet Cat in the 1,600-meter (7.95-furlong) Burj Nahaar.
“It has been the plan to run him in this race for some time, and remains so,” Crisford told Racing Post. “We said we would give him a run before the World Cup meeting, and he is fit and ready for a run. He is an exciting horse and we're looking forward to seeing him back in action.”
Discreet Cat beat Invasor in last year’s S & M Al Naboodah United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2). He then won all three of his North American starts, including the Jerome Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and the Hill `n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1), by a combined 24 1/2 lengths.
The $1.3-million Super Thursday card, the penultimate race meeting before the Dubai World Cup, will include two Group 2 races: the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 and the 1,777-meter (8.5-furlong) Jebel Hatta. Three Group 3 races are also included: the Burj Nahaar, the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) City of Gold, and the 1,200-meter (5.97-furlong) Mahab Al Shimaal.
Godolphin’s trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, also could saddle Group 2 winner Best Alibi in the $200,000 City of Gold and Group 3 winner Best Name in the $250,000 Jebel Hatta, both on turf.
Crisford said unbeaten Day Pass, who was trained last year in the United States by Kiaran McLaughlin and has been mentioned as a possible Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) hopeful, also may be entered in one of the races on the Super Thursday card as a prep for the $2-million UAE Derby.
Godolphin has started 29 horses during the current Dubai International Racing Carnival—22 of which went to post as favorite or second choice—but has yet to pick up a single victory.