Dubai: It was quite easy to capture the relish and enthusiasm in jockey Willie Martinez's voice as he spoke about tomorrow's $6 million Dubai World Cup.
"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for 16 years. Win or lose, we're going to make the most of it," said Martinez, a record nine-time champion at Turfway Park in Kentucky. He will partner the big American hope Brass Hat here.
"I rode the horse yesterday and after running 3/8ths of a mile, I was really ecstatic. He's at the top of his game and I think he will have a big chance on Saturday."
Turfway-based Brass Hat heads the list of five American horses in the running for horse racing's richest purse. He has won both his starts this year, including the Group 1 Donn Handicap, his last outing prior to shipping to Dubai.
Martinez, who has ridden the five-year-old son of Prized in all his five career starts, believes he is bonding with Brass Hat who will bid to give America a sixth World Cup.
"I can almost visualise the race and there's some feeling deep inside. It's a connection I have with Brass Hat. From a rider's point of view, I think he'll come up with his best race on Saturday for sure," said the rider.
Brass Hat is among a record number of 19 American horses that will be seen in action in tomorrow's $21 million race meeting. And Martinez is bullish about his chances, despite the depth in quality of this year's World Cup.
"I respect the opposition and there are some great horses in the race," he said. "But I am pretty confident Brass Hat won't let us down. He's brought more to the table than what we had expected."
While admitting that coming to Dubai to challenge for horse racing's ultimate prize is a unique experience, Martinez maintains that Brass Hat is more than up to it.
"He's here to deliver, he means business," he said. "He's a real pro, but he's also a fun animal. He loves his races and that's what makes him special.
"He's proven before that he can overcome a lot of things like a fast and sloppy racetrack and battling his own injuries. He was off for over a year and we didn't think we were going to have him back to the races, but we were lucky enough."
Several American runners in past World Cups, like Cigar, Silver Charm and Pleasantly Perfect, were special horses and Martinez believes that Brass Hat belongs to that list.
"I've always felt that every horse has got a unique story, especially the good horses always have a unique story," he said.
"Brass Hat is no different for the Bradley Family. They've been racing for years now.
"To come up with a horse like Brass Hat is very special. To fulfil a series of dreams would be so real. And hopefully, Saturday will be another dream for us."
ON COURSE
- Recently-retired American jockey Jerry Bailey, who has won the Dubai World Cup (Gr 1) a record four times, was back at his favourite race track here yesterday. Bailey and Frankie Dettori, both heroes at the Nad Al Sheba for their exploits, breezed the tracks together during the Breakfast with Stars yesterday. Bailey, who won the Dubai World Cup on Cigar (1996), Singspiel (1997), Captain Steve (2001) and Street Cry (2002), will be watching this year's race as a television commentator rather than sitting atop one of the contenders at the World Cup.
- As World Cup runner Magna Graduate gathers pace as a front-runner for the $6 million race, his co-owner Elisabeth Alexander seems to be gaining in popularity as well. After the Breakfast with the Stars yesterday, the elderly Elisabeth was delighted with her stay in the Emirates so far. "It is unbelievable," she said. "I've had horses for 30 years and we've never had one this good before. So it's quite a thrill." Her only regret, she said, was that her husband, Quentin, could not make the trip to see the horse compete. "He's 86 and he's back at home," she said. "He didn't feel up to the trip and I'm sorry because I think he would have really enjoyed it."
- Two South African-bred full sisters will be up against each other in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (Group 1) race tomorrow. The Lee Freedman-trained Perfect Promise, a six-year-old bay mare, will take on her younger sister Irridescence, a four-year-old filly in the 16-horse field. Both runners are by Caesour out of Meretricious by Dancing Champ.
- Entries for this year's Godolphin Seven Stars Competition, which gives one the chance to win some amazing cash prizes and other awards, ends tonight. All one has to do in the competition is pick seven Godolphin horses during the 2006 season. The selected horses will earn points according to their performances on racetracks around the world, giving a participant the chance to win one of the amazing Seven Stars prizes 1st: $100,000, plus two first-class return air tickets with Emirates Airline to Dubai and seven nights at the Burj Al Arab Hotel; 2nd : $50,000; 3rd: $30,000; 4th:$15,000; 5th: $5,000. More details can be obtained from www.godolphin.com.
By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
