Sibelius All Systems Go for Dubai; Moore to Ride

After embarking on the experience of a lifetime last year with Sibelius , trainer Jerry O'Dwyer is ready to do it all over again.

The Irish-born trainer was astride the gelding for his final tune-up March 14 before his departure to Meydan Racecourse in defense of his Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) title. Sibelius clocked four furlongs in :49.65 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla.

"He went around there in :49 or so with a nice gallop out,"  O'Dwyer said. "We got a little air into his lungs. He's fit now so the main thing was just to make sure he's looking good, moving good, and feeling right."

Campaigned by Delia Nash and Jun Park, Sibelius' current campaign is echoing his breakthrough 2023 season almost to a "T". The 6-year-old son of Not This Time   scored repeat victories in the Dec. 23 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and last month's Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs as a precursor to his Dubai exploits.

O'Dwyer admits he's more confident heading into this year's $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen after crossing into that unknown territory in 2023.

"We're more relaxed this year because we know he handles it all well," O'Dwyer said. "We know he travels well and can take it all in. It's a huge relief making that big of a trip."

Leading international rider Ryan Moore, victorious aboard Sibelius in the 2023 Golden Shaheen, again has the mount March 30. Jockey Junior Alvarado has ridden Sibelius in his last two starts.

"Ryan Moore is going to ride him in Dubai. He won on him last year and it's hard to make a change like that when he's available," O'Dwyer said. "But Junior's done fabulous on him for us here. It's all just circumstantial."

Sibelius is one of five U.S.-based horses slated to compete in the 1,200 meter (about six furlongs) Golden Shaheen. Among the chestnut's chief rivals are the Wesley Ward-trained Nakatomi , an unlucky third to Sibelius in the Pelican, and Run Classic , an impressive winner of the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes last time out for trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo. 

"Some of us have form that ties in with each other, some of us don't," O'Dwyer said of the five U.S. runners. "But look it's going to be a very exciting race. I'm sure it's going to be fast and furious. We're going to have to be lucky with a clean break, a clean trip, and everything's got to go right. There's a lot of money on the line. We're really looking forward to it."

Sibelius, along with over a dozen other stateside Dubai contenders, will depart for the Middle East from Miami International Airport the morning of March 19. O'Dwyer will join his stable star at Meydan a few days later.

"We aimed him back to this race from the middle of last year, this was always the target," O'Dwyer said. "I'll feel the pressure when the gates open but I'm going to be confident that I have my horse in the best condition I can have him in and there's no more I can do after that—it's all up to him and Ryan Moore."