UAE One Thousand Guineas Tops Third Dubai Carnival Card

The third session of the Dubai World Cup Carnival Jan. 28 at Meydan features a potential star 3-year-old filly in Kentucky-bred Shahama and an improving Godolphin turf runner who could figure in next month's Saudi Cup (G1) program.

Six signed on for the UAE One Thousand Guineas Presented by Dubai Marina by Emaar with KhK Racing's Shahama—a half sister to Ashford sire and dual champion Lookin At Lucky—the likely pick to prevail after 1,600 meters (about one mile) on the dirt.

Shahama, a Munnings   filly out of the Belong to Me  mare Private Feeling , already is 2-for-2 at Meydan. A nine-length winner on debut on Dec. 9 over seven furlongs, she returned on New Year's Day to easily dismiss the One Thousand Guineas Trial field by 2 1/2 lengths, despite ample traffic. Those efforts both came at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs).

Fawzi Nass trains the filly and Adrie de Vries retains the ride in this steppingstone to the Feb. 18 UAE Oaks (G3).

Stable rider for Nass and highly involved in the training of his Dubai-based yard, de Vries is excited to jump aboard Shahama again.

"We're very happy with the filly at the moment and she's in great form," de Vries said. "The step up to a mile should only suit her and the (post 6 of 6) draw I'm particularly happy with, as well. She's a long, big-striding filly who is sometimes not-so-quick on her feet and needs a few strides, so drawing six will keep me out of trouble and I can do things in my own time and space.

"Physically, I think she's improved from her last race. She looks really well and her coat looks really good. I sat on her the last two days and I was very pleased with her." 

Bred by SF Bloodstock, Shahama was a $425,000 Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training 2021 grad, having been consigned by Eddie Woods. 

Two of the main competitors in the Guineas, Little Afrodite and Minwah, already have finished up the track behind Shahama. A newcomer in the mix is Uchchaihshravas, a Cotai Glory  daughter whose only previous start resulted in a six-length victory at Bro Park in Sweden in June 2019.

"Fawzi's filly will be hard to beat, but we think our filly is special," said Uchchaihshravas' trainer, Kahlil De Burca, who will be saddling just his second runner in Dubai. "There isn't much between them on the times of the races they've won."

The Zabeel Mile Presented by Emaar Beachfront (G2) on the turf could point in several directions including Saudi Arabia.

Godolphin is on full display in the Zabeel Mile with Real World  leading a three-horse contingent that also includes One Ruler  and Path of Thunder. After a disappointing Carnival run last year, Real World ended his 2021 European campaign with a four-race winning streak culminating in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) at ParisLongchamp Oct. 2.

"He's a different horse to the one we saw finishing placed three times last Carnival," said Real World's trainer, Saeed bin Suroor. "He really strengthened up and matured over the summer, progressing from handicaps to group company. He's been off the track since October, but we always planned to start him here, before looking at the Neom Turf Cup or the Saudi Cup. The Jebel Hatta (G1) on Super Saturday could also be an option."

Frankie Dettori is set to ride Real World.

The other "blue team," Shadwell, has three in the 13-horse Zabeel Mile field. Of those, Moqtaareb, a Kingman  gelding, finished second to Path of Thunder in the Zabeel Trophy on the course and at the distance Jan. 7.

The Dubai Sprint Presented by Dubai Creek Harbour by Emaar, 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs) on the turf, has an overflow field of 18, four of those reserves. The race is a potential prep for the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) on Super Saturday, the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on World Cup night, or the Saudi turf sprint.

The Dubai Sprint is the last race on the eight-race card and possibly the toughest to figure.

Other notable races on the program include the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 mile) Zabeel Turf presented by The Valley by Emaar, also with an oversubscribed cast; and the 2,810-meter (about 1 3/4 miles) Al Kahil Trophy, also on the turf. In the latter, Godolphin runner Dubai Future  returns from a win in a 2,410-meter (about 1 1/2 miles) event on the course Jan. 14.

Michael Adolphson contributed to this report.