The first group stakes of the 2024-25 Dubai World Cup Carnival go to post Dec. 20 with some familiar names taking the spotlight, albeit in new surroundings.
The Al Rashidiya (G2T) at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on the turf has a field of nine and features a scene-shifter in Measured Time.
Measured Time, a Frankel colt, won the 2023 Al Rashidiya as a 3-year-old, captured the Jebel Hatta (G1T) a month later and finished a fading fourth in the Dubai Turf (G1T) in March, all at 1 1/8 miles.
He then spent the summer with trainer Charlie Appleby's Godolphin string in New York, winning the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) and finishing second in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) Aug. 24 but has not raced since.
The combination of Appleby and jockey William Buick is always dangerous in the big Carnival races and looks to get off on a good foot in the Al Rashidiya. On form, his eight rivals look well outclassed.
Al Maktoum Mile
The Al Maktoum Mile (G2) on the Meydan Racecourse dirt will be the first Dubai test for another transplant—Artorius. The Juddmonte homebred, a 5-year-old son of Arrogate, has not only switched continents but also trainers—from Chad Brown in New York to Bhupat Seemar in Dubai.
Artorius had just three wins from 11 starts for Brown and, though he won the 2022 Curlin Stakes, failed to make an impression in a handful of graded stakes attempts.
His five rivals in the Al Maktoum Mile, an early test for the Godolphin Mile (G2) on Dubai World Cup (G1) night, include Clapton, a graded stakes winner in the United States who was brought to the Middle East last season by trainer Chad Summers. He has not run since beating only one rival in the Dubai World Cup in March and now is handled by Doug Watson.
The program is dubbed "Festive Friday" and is one of three special events in Dubai on the ever-evolving Middle Eastern racing calendar. It's followed by the Jan. 24 Fashion Friday and Super Saturday March 5.
With the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) set for Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Super Saturday now shares its luster as the main setup for the April 5 World Cup night. Fashion Friday, with seven group races, two of them group 1's, becomes a prep night for Saudi Cup and/or World Cup events.
Romantic Warrior Arrives in Dubai
The Festive Friday racing is slightly overshadowed by the Dec. 17 arrival in Dubai of Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior, fresh off his third victory in the Hong Kong Cup (G1) Dec. 8.
Romantic Warrior already has group 1 victories in Australia and Japan to go with his seven top-level wins at home and trainer Danny Shum is pointing him to his first try on dirt in the Saudi Cup.
He's slated for a prep for that race in the Jebel Hatta Jan. 24 on the Meydan turf on Fashion Friday.
Shum visited King Abdulaziz Racecourse Dec. 14 and said he thinks Romantic Warrior can handle that highly acclaimed dirt surface. "We don't know for sure if he'll handle it. But I hope so," he told Saudi Racing officials.
"He created history by winning three Hong Kong Cups and the racing public in Hong Kong love him," Shum said. "It's very special for me, my stable and for Hong Kong to have a runner in the Saudi Cup, so I want to make sure I do as good a job as possible."
