Military March Back in Action as Dubai Carnival Opens

The Dubai World Cup Carnival officially kicks off at Meydan Racecourse Jan. 21 with all eyes and lots of expectations centered on Godolphin's long-absent Military March.

There are seven races on the evening's card, four of them early tests for events to be run on World Cup night March 27. The features are the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Sponsored by Mina by Azizi (G2) on the dirt and the Singspiel Stakes Presented by Riviera by Azizi (G2) on the grass.

Military March, a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred, was entered for both but will go on the grass in the Singspiel.

By New Approach out of the Danehill mare Punctilious, Military March won his first two starts at 2 in England before finishing fourth in the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) June 6 at Newmarket. In that, he was beaten less than four lengths by Kameko with Wichita and another Godolphin runner, Pinatubo, between them.

After the Guineas, trainer Saeed bin Suroor said he felt Military March was well suited to the 1 1/2 miles of the Investec Derby (G1) and would be pointed to that race. On June 25, however, bin Suroor announced the colt "has had a setback and unfortunately will have to miss the Derby. We will give him plenty of time and hopefully he will be back racing later in the season."

Military March has not raced since.

With the brilliant Pinatubo now retired to Dalham Hall Stud, Military March will carry a lot of hopes for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin—hopes confirmed with the nomination of Frankie Dettori to ride the colt for the first time.

Military March's sire, New Approach, a son of Galileo, won the 1 1/2-mile Derby at Epsom and both the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and the Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes (G1) at 1 1/4 miles. He also stands at Dalham Hall near Newmarket.

The Singspiel Stakes is run at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on the turf and could presage the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1) at the same trip in March. The race honors Sheikh Mohammed's late runner whose multiple group 1 scores included the 1996 Japan Cup—the first of Dettori's three wins in that prestigious event.

Military March also held an entry for the initial leg of the Maktoum Challenge before his connections opted for the Singspiel, where he drew the outside gate in a field of 11.

Although the Maktoum Challenge series ultimately points toward the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), the 1,600-meter Round 1 caters more to candidates for the Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum City District 1 (G2) on the big night.

Two of the 11 entered for Round 1—Kimbear and Capezzano—were among the likely entries for the 2020 Godolphin Mile before the entire World Cup program was canceled abruptly at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sadly, the effects of the pandemic could carry over to the first night of this year's Carnival. Trainer Doug Watson's powerful stable, including Maktoum Challenge entries Kimbear and Thegreatcollection, has been quarantined since early in the year because of COVID-19 positive test results, missing dozens of important starts. A decision whether to allow Watson's stable to run in the Carnival opener—he has several horses scattered through the card—was not expected until the morning of the races.

Should they go, the powerhouse trainer's horses would be well fancied in the Carnival opener. Kimbear, a 7-year-old Temple City  entry, finished fourth in the 2019 Godolphin Mile. Thegreatcollection, a 7-year-old son of Saint Anddan, won the Dubai Creek Mile Presented by Longines Dec. 17 at 1,600 meters over the Meydan course before the lockdown.

Capezzano, a 7-year-old Bernardini  gelding trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, was last seen finishing third in the Dubai Creek Mile. He won the Firebreak Stakes Sponsored by Gulfnews.com (G3) in Feb. 13, 2020, but then faded from the lead to finish 14th in the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 29. He finished 13th in the 2018 Godolphin Mile and 12th in the 2019 Dubai World Cup.

With Military March redirected, Godolphin is represented by Gifts of Gold, a 6-year-old gelding by Invincible Spirit who is 2-for-10 on turf but won his only all-weather start last August at Chelmsford by six lengths.

The opening night of the Carnival also has early group 2 preps for World Cup night's dirt and turf sprints—the Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored by Creek Views by Azizi at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) on the grass and the Dubawi Stakes Sponsored by Park Avenue by Azizi at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on the dirt.

The Al Fahidi Fort would be a logical steppingstone to the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) and the Dubawi, to the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1).