Tag Archive for: Dubai Mile

Dubai Mile edging towards Guineas after Newmarket workout

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Charlie Johnston is well aware Dubai Mile might find the Qipco 2000 Guineas a touch on the sharp side but after watching him come through a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile, he was enthused as to what the future may hold.

A Group One winner over 10 furlongs in France at two, Dubai Mile’s main aim this season is the Betfred Derby and Johnston is coming round to the idea that they have nothing to lose by running in the Guineas first.

Should the ground come up testing, then the Middleham handler may even have a chance of breaking his Classic duck earlier than he originally thought.

Dubai Mile was ridden by Daniel Muscutt over a mile and quickened beyond with Struth (Jason Hart) and Hope You Can Run (Andrea Atzeni).

“We’ve been having a debate internally all spring really regarding what is the best route for this horse,” said Johnston.

“We’re pretty confident his optimum trip this year will be a mile and a half plus and you can see in his work there that he’s not travelling hard on the bridle behind the other horse. He’s a very laid-back horse who is behind the bridle and his last furlong is his best furlong.

“But, having won a Group One as a two-year-old, your route to the Derby is narrowed down quite dramatically. You either have to have to step down in grade or you have to go to the Guineas.

“From an early point it’s been either Guineas-Derby or Dante-Derby. The way they’re in the calendar this year running in all three is pretty unrealistic.

“I’ve spent most of the spring leaning on the side that he should be going Dante-Derby, but Ahmad (Al Shaikh, owner) is always keen to take on a challenge and take the ambitious route – and when you’ve got a Group One-winning two-year-old, the reality is winning the Dante is not going to add anything to this horse’s stallion profile, whereas finishing third in the Guineas would be a big asset to him.”

Dubai Mile returns from his gallop
Dubai Mile returns from his gallop (Ash Iveson/PA)

He went on: “We’re all well aware that this horse is being trained and going to be campaigned as a top-class mile-and-a-half horse, it’s just what we do in the early season to get him there.

“I’d love a soft ground Guineas, then he really would be a player because we know he handles testing conditions, and one asset you can never take for granted here is he’s run over the course and distance. Danny says you don’t even notice the dip on him, he just floats down it and out the other side.

“The Guineas is not a race you go into as a prep race, but if he was running in many ways it would be a prep race for the Derby.”

The Charlie Hills-trained Cicero’s Gift, unbeaten in two outings to date, had a slightly less strenuous workout under Kieran Shoemark in company with Saratoga Gold (Michael Hills).

Cicero’s Gift (near side) finishes upsides his companion
Cicero’s Gift (near side) finishes upsides his companion (Tim Goode/PA)

“He worked well and had a nice little blow afterwards as well actually, so it was just what we wanted I think,” said Hills

“He’s obviously had two starts and two wins and we’re just trying to feel our way really and see exactly where we are and find out a bit more about him. Today he behaved great, had a nice bit of work and did what we asked him.

“We didn’t really want to run in a trial and put three quick races into him. It’s going to be a long season, so we’ll just try to keep him as fresh as we can.

“We’ll see how the week unfolds with the trials and make a decision next week. There is a conditions race at Goodwood around the same weekend as the Guineas, so that could be another route to take, but I’m pretty open-minded at the moment.

“He’s a nice horse and there’s only one Guineas, isn’t there? If we decide against it you’ve got Goodwood and the Dante at York and the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot, something like that. I think I could see him stepping him up in trip later in the year.”

Dubai Mile could take in 2000 Guineas on the way to Epsom

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Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Dubai Mile has been added to the list of Derby entries, with trainer Charlie Johnston revealing he will tune up for a potential tilt at the Epsom Classic in either the Qipco 2000 Guineas or York’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes.

Although beaten on debut as a juvenile, he won his next two starts in fine style before attempting to make all in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas track and trip, going down by half a length to Andrew Balding’s The Foxes.

That earned the son of Roaring Lion a shot at Group One glory in France and he thrived for the move up to 10 furlongs on that occasion, showing plenty of class and even more grit to hold off John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest by a head and highlight his Classic claims for the forthcoming campaign.

With connections opting to pay the £9,000 stake to add Dubai Mile to the race at the second entry stage, that campaign could be centred around a Derby bid as Johnston dreams of the colt becoming a standard-bearer for the yard during his first season as the sole licence holder at Kingsley Park.

“Any two-year-old that can win at Group One level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their three-year-old campaign,” said Johnston.

“He’s obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we’re going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we’re very much looking forward to him.

Trainer Charlie Johnston has high hopes for Dubai Mile this season
Trainer Charlie Johnston has high hopes for Dubai Mile this season (Mike Egerton/PA)

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people’s eyes and minds going forward and he’s a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from – hopefully he can deliver.”

Despite Dubai Mile’s finest hour coming over 10 furlongs and holding an entry for the Dante on May 18, a return to the Rowley Mile and a crack at Newmarket’s opening Classic of the summer appears the preferred option of the colt’s owner Ahmad Al Shaikh.

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group One so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I’m pretty certain he’s going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn’t rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”