Article posted on -  1/10/2008 9:28:30 AM

Sushisan, in Dubai last year, will be back

DIRC amendment after overwhelming response

The Dubai Racing Club has announced some important amendments to the latter part of the Dubai International Racing Carnival programme due to an unprecedented response from trainers around the world.

With the increased number of horses at the top end of the ratings band expected in Dubai, four handicap races at the latter end of the Carnival have undergone amendments to the ratings conditions.

The amendments also provide those horses targeted at the Dubai World Cup meeting another option for a prep race.

The four races are:

Friday February 22

(was 95-110) 1,200m Dirt is now 95 & upwards

Thursday February 28

(was 100-112) 2,400m Turf is now 100 & Upwards

(was 100-112) 2,000m Turf is now 100 & Upwards

(was 100-112) 2,000m Dirt is now 100 & Upwards

From the list of accepted horses due to arrive in Dubai, 74 are rated above 105, which equates to 37% of all horses, and is up 7% on the 2006 figure of 61.

“The quality of the horses coming to Dubai for this year’s Dubai International Racing Carnival has caused us to amend these four races,” said Frank Gabriel Jr, CEO of the Dubai Racing Club.

“It provides owners and trainers with an alternative option for a prep race for the Dubai World Cup, other than the Super Thursday meeting a week later.

“There are not many options available to these higher rated horses and we want to give them the opportunities also, which is the reason we have made these amendments.

“We believe that this will further strengthen the Carnival programme and, in time, see these races develop further.”

The race on February 22 wasn’t run last year, but the three on February 28 were won by Sushisan and Mystical (2,000m turf – race divided), Bennie Blue (2,000m dirt) and Crime Scene (2,400m turf).