Lucky Nine on course for Shaheen despite foot injury

Lucky Nine, hero of Sha Tin's Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, remains on

target for the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen after suffering a minor foot injury

earlier this week. The five-year-old son of Dubawi has been drawn widest of all

in post 12 in Saturday's $2-million affair.

"He's really well in himself -- his coat is nice, he's eating, he's drinking

and no doubt he will run his race on Saturday, he has that much heart," trainer

Caspar Fownes said.

Lucky Nine has trained forwardly since twisting off a shoe and puncturing a

hoof in Dubai.

"He's one out of 10 lame, but once you warm him up and the adrenalin gets

going, you wouldn't even notice," Fownes continued. "Draw 12 is not ideal, but

there's plenty of speed in the race so if we can tuck in sixth or seventh with

cover we're in there with a shout; it's a long straight and he'll keep on

coming. He was the best he's ever been for me after that last run."

Singapore superstar and Dubai Golden Shaheen defending champion

Rocket Man hacked on the Tapeta all-weather surface after a quicker gallop on

Tuesday with "all the work done," according to trainer Patrick Shaw ahead of his

third date in the race.

In other Dubai World Cup night news, Group 1 winner Planteur will clear

quarantine Thursday morning. The Danehill Dancer five-year-old will be making

his first start for trainer Marco Botti in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on

Saturday.

William Haggas's light-raced Beaten Up arrived in Dubai on Tuesday night for

the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic and is expected on track for the

first time on Thursday.

Group 1, $5 million Dubai Duty Free hopeful California Memory, winner of the

Group 1 Hong Kong Cup in December, is on course to run a bold race, trainer Tony

Cruz predicted. The gray gelding cantered on the turf track under his work rider

and Meydan clockers caught the last 600 meters of his move in :38.

Fellow Duty Free candidate Cityscape flew in from Stanstead, England, on

Monday and is expected on the track Thursday morning.

Presvis, last year's Dubai Duty Free winner, was out on the turf track

Wednesday morning and Meydan clockers caught the son of Sakhee in :42.8 for 600

meters after splits of :12.5 and :25.4.

English highweight and Grade 1 scorer Wigmore Hall,  third in the Duty

Free last year, exercised under the watchful eye of trainer Michael Bell

Wednesday morning.

"He looks a lot fitter now and it was well documented that he was a lot

heavier when he came out here this year," Bell said. "He is on really good terms

with himself -- he is squealing and is happy and seems in good shape on the

track.

"He was unlucky in the Dubai Duty Free last year and I am sure he will run

well. It does look a tough race but I do think the owner will be getting a

check, but whether it is the winner's prize I am not sure."

Wigmore Hall was timed by Meydan officials in 1:09 for 1,000 meters after

splits of :11.7 and :39.5.

Better Be the One remained in the quarantine area as scheduled ahead of

Saturday's Group 1, $1 million Al Quoz Sprint, though assistant trainer James

Peters said jockey Kieren Fallon would be on board for a light workout on

Thursday.

Fellow Al Quoz Sprint runner Eagle Regiment, a recent Group 1 winner down the

1,000 meter chute at Sha Tin, made his first appearance on the turf track under

assistant trainer Raymond Tsui and breezed well down the Meydan straight with

conditioner Manfred Man looking on.

"The horse seems very good. He lost about 30 pounds on the flight but he has

since put back on 10 pounds and he is now at the same bodyweight of his last

win, the Group 1 race in Hong Kong in January," Man observed.

"We tried him around the bend last time and he just doesn't handle it. It

looks like he's just a horse for the straight 1,000 meters. He pulled up lame

after that last run and missed about a week's work but he's fine now and he is

coping well on his first trip outside Hong Kong. It's my first time to race

outside Hong Kong too and he is probably doing better than me!"

Joy and Fun, the 2010 Al Quoz Sprint winner, remained in the quarantine area

with Derek Cruz saying that he will bring his hardy perennial back to the main

all-weather track on Thursday morning.

"Is he in the same sort of form now than he was when he won the race years

ago? Yes, definitely. He would rate a good each-way bet, put it that way," Cruz

remarked.

Red Duke, one of the British runners who arrived on Monday, could make his

first track appearance on Thursday for the Group 2 UAE Derby.

Barbican, the sole runner from the Alan Bailey yard, also touched down on

Monday and, like Red Duke, could be seen on track Thursday. The Hurricane Run

colt is readying for the Group 3,  $1 million Dubai Gold Cup.

Makani Bisty, another hopeful for the Dubai Gold Cup, had an accident

following his work on Monday.

"After the Monday trackwork, actually Makani Bisty had a small accident and

hurt him a bit in a right front hoof due to the firm track condition on

all-weather," trainer Yoshito Yahagi explained. "He has been back in the

condition up to now so that we could give him a ride today, but I decided to

hand walk around the stable this morning.

"I expected there would be some small accidents when we traveled abroad, and

this is a kind of within assumption. That is because my two horses had strong

works before they left for Dubai. I think the track surface on all-weather may

be a bit firm for him, and the track condition on turf is likely better. So I

have decided to work him on turf (for the time left).

Charlie Hills will have his first Dubai World Cup night runner with Red Jazz

and the five-year-old arrived in Dubai on Monday ahead of his first track visit

on Thursday morning. The Group 2 winner is headed to the Group 2, $1 million

Godolphin Mile.

Jeremy Noseda's representative Western Aristocrat was another to have arrived

in Dubai on Monday and he is expected on the track on Thursday morning for the

Godolphin Mile.