Dubai: Owner Lionel Cohen has predicted that the Dubai Sheema Classic will be a true test of Sun Classique's ability as a world-class winner.
"She'll give off her best and I am confident about that one point," Cohen told Gulf News at the Nad Al Sheba racetrack yesterday.
"But we also want to see if her best is good enough to beat the class of horses running in the race," he added.
Cohen has several good reasons to be confident about the filly trained by the dependable South African Mike de Kock.
Impossible position
At the end of last month, Sun Classique came from what looked an impossible position to win the Balanchine Stakes, the feature race at the etisalat-sponsored eighth meeting of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
The four-year-old filly's victory in the 1,777m turf contest was the highlight of a treble for the South African trainer-jockey combination of Mike De Kock and Kevin Shea.
A winner at Grade One level in her native South Africa, Sun Classique had coasted home on her UAE debut at Nad Al Sheba earlier in February.
Given this hot streaks of wins, Cohen fancies his chances on Saturday. "We've had two starts and two wins, which means we are up in the class," Cohen said.
"We believe that she's got the ability to go out there and win.
"And we have never questioned her ability," he added.
But with a 16-horse field that includes the likes of Quijano, Argentina's best in Latency, Viva Pataca and hot favourite in the Richard Gibson-trained Doctor Dino, Cohen knows what to ask of his promising horse.
"We are aware that she is going to be among the best turf horses in the world. We will wait and see what she comes up with on Saturday."
Latest odds
Dubai Sheema Classic:
9-4 Viva Pataca, 5-1 Youmzain, 7-1 Sun Classique, 8-1 Doctor Dino, 10-1 Oracle West, Quijano, 14-1 Mourilyan, 16-1 West Wind, Gravitas, 25-1 Dansant, Latency, 33-1 Better Talk Now, Spring House, Sushisan, Yellowstone, 40-1 Gower Song.
