Dubai: South African trainer Mike de Kock looks set to build on his impressive record in the Group 2 Balanchine when he saddles South African 2010 champion two-year-old Mahbooba in today's renewal of the popular 1800 metre contest for fillies and mares.
De Kock has won the race four times in eight runnings, including 12 months ago, when River Jetez scored by two-and-a-half lengths en route to running a close second to Presvis in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free race on Dubai World Cup day.
The Balanchine has proved to be a noteworthy prep for the World Cup races, with another South African filly, Sun Classique, scoring in the race prior to winning the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in 2008.
Mahbooba won her first Meydan start of the season, the Al Rashidiya Trial, by a comfortable 4-and-a-quarter lengths, but was beaten a nose by Godolphin's First City on January 20 in the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes over 1,600 metres.
Advantage
However, today's extra furlong should play to the advantage of De Kock's filly who is expected to turn the tables on First City when the two meet again in today's feature race at the Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting.
De Kock also runs Cape Verdi third-place finisher Reem in a bid to control the pace.
First City, trained by two-time UAE champion Ali Rashid Al Raihe broke a nine-race winless streak with her victory over Mahbooba in the Cape Verdi.
Another interesting runner is Godolphin's Dysphonia, a 6-year-old Australian-bred who is a seven-time winner. Dysphonia was also a noteweorthy third in the Group One Myer Classic at Flemington, Australia, on her last start in October.
Also among the ten runners is the seven-year-old mare Grafitti, who was campaigned in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Today's seven-race programme is sponsored by Southern Oil and Gas, whose managing director and owner Stefan Friborg sensationally won the 2010 Dubai World Cup with Gloria De Campeão.
Friborg said he was delighted to sponsor a card at Meydan which gave him the biggest triumph of his career.
Contribution
"As the first winner of the 2010 Dubai World Cup to be held at Meydan Racecourse, I am proud to be able to sponsor and contribute to the sport of kings," he said. "We at Southern Oil and Gas wish Meydan all the best for the 2011/2012 racing season."
Meydan's CEO and Chairman of the Board Saeed Al Tayer commented: "We are pleased to welcome Southern Oil and Gas as sponsors for this exciting race programme that will serve as an important prep event for the horses that will be competing in the upcoming Dubai World Cup.
"It is through the support of partners such as Southern Oil and Gas that allows us to grow and further develop our racing at Meydan and the Dubai Racing Club. Their generosity and commitment to the sport is an example of the bond that racing creates around the world."
Also featuring on the action-packed seven-race card is the Bani Yas, a Group 2 contest for Purebred Arabians, where Doug Watson's Kandar Du Falgas looks the likely winner.
Post time for the first race on Friday matinee card is 3pm.
