The dream of the connections of Bur Dubai racing in Melbourne’s big Cup races will kick off at Moonee Valley.
An imported galloper from the UK, Bur Dubai starts his spring campaign in the EDSA Group Handicap (1600m) on Saturday.
It is a far cry from the Caulfield Cup, for which he is entered, and the Melbourne Cup, for which he will be entered, but it is a starting point towards those races for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper.
Bur Dubai is beginning his second Australian preparation having had three runs earlier in the year which concluded with a win over 2500m at The Valley in March.
“There’s always dreams, but with his rating he’s got to win his way there and we’ll let him tell us whether he’s up to it,” Kent Jnr said.
“He had a beautiful first preparation with three runs, so we didn’t over tax him at his first Australian campaign.
“He won a benchmark 78 in nice enough style and then had a nice break.
“Saturday over a mile, so long as he’s finding the line that will be fine, he’ll then step up to 2000 metres, but he won’t be effective until he gets up to 2500 metres.”
Price and Kent Jnr are aiming to get Bur Dubai to the Group 3 The Archer (2500m) on September 13 and the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) the following month.
Those two races at Flemington are the first of the spring ‘win and you’re in’ races to the Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November.
“We would like to think that we could be a player in those ‘win and you’re in’ races,” Kent Jnr said.
“Hopefully we can get him to The Archer or The Bart Cummings, but that will depend on his rating at the time.”
Kent Jnr said it was remarkable how quickly Bur Dubai recovers from any work that is dished out to the gelding in building his fitness.
“In my time, I would say I’ve never seen a horse so clean winded,” Kent Jnr said.
“He just never blows.
“Whether he’s got the class to win nice staying races, we will see, but he’s clearly got a big capacity for work and he’s the right style of horse, big, strong and sound.”
