Connections of Twice Over are giving the dual Champion Stakes winner a prep run ahead of the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in the hope it will augur well for a better run than last year in the big race later this month.
The six-year-old is being given more time to acclimatise with a view to him performing much better in the World Cup, in which he was only 10th in 2010.
He has been handed stall 13 in a 14-strong field for the Group Two Al Maktoum Challenge Round III over 10 furlongs (2000m) on the Tapeta surface, the highlight of a card billed locally as ‘Super Thursday’.
“The draw is poor, but we feel he is in better shape than he was last year when we did not give him a prep race, he has not been held up at all,” trainer Henry Cecil said.
“Given that the first three home in the World Cup had been in Dubai all year we have decided to come earlier this time. He should improve for the run, but the race will give us a better idea.
“I just want him to get used to the track. He won’t be wound up for his first race, obviously, but he would not be running if he couldn’t give a good account of himself.”
Jockey Tom Queally is looking forward to the ride on a horse he has won three Group Ones.
“Obviously last year we were hoping for a big run in the World Cup and it was a bit of an anti-climax in that he ran bad so we thought we’d do things different, let him acclimatise more and take a prep run on the way. Let’s hope it pays dividends” he told Racing UK Radio.
“He seems to be in tremendous form. He seems to be taking to it all well. He’s moving well, he’s full of himself and he’s a happy horse.”
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has won Thursday night’s race eight times for Godolphin, including with three subsequent winners of the Dubai World Cup, among them the great Dubai Millennium.
This year he saddles Prince Bishop, making his local debut and first start for the yard after some good runs in France last year.
“As you would expect it is a good race but he has been pleasing us at home. He has not raced on (Tapeta) but works well on it,” he said.
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