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Newbury, England: Veteran trainer Gillian Duffield is hoping to strike it rich at Sunday's Dubai International Arabian Race Day, Purebred Arabian racing's biggest fixture of the year in Europe.
Duffield trains a string of 28 Arabians owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, at the Eve Lodge Stables in Newmarket.
She will have 10 runners in the seven-event card, which is worth over £100,000 in prize money.
No Risk Al Maury is the flag bearer of her team and returns to defend his title in the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Group 1).
Speaking to Gulf News on Friday, Duffield was in no doubt that the horse was in the best possible shape to repeat his success of 12 months ago.
"He's trained on well from last year and in the best possible shape going into Sunday's big race," she said.
"He's had the right preparation and has won two of his three starts this season, including his last start at Newbury three weeks back.
"No Risk Al Maury is a nice horse to train, very straightforward so I'm hoping for a big performance from him."
The horse has won eight of his ten career starts and only two losses including one in June this year when he finished sixth at Chantilly in France.
Not major setback
But Duffield said that she was not losing any sleep over that setback as she felt the horse 'needed the run'.
"He was absolutely cruising during the early stages of the race but once the field straightened for home he could find no more.
"But it was an effort all the same as the race was always intended to be a prep towards his main target which is Sunday's Shadwell Dubai International Stakes."
No Risk Al Maury faces four rivals including Qatari raider Jaafer and Oman's Aliz Safinat, who is trained by former UAE based trainer Julian Smart, and Duffield was also bullish about the chances of her new acquisition, Royal Class, in the Jumeirah International Stakes, a Group 1 contest for three-year-olds.
Solid form
"I've only had him for a couple of months but he's settled in well," said the trainer.
"He's got solid form and I would have to say that he has got a great chance."
Among Royal Class's four rivals is stable companion Namoos who will be making the first start of his career.
"He could be a nice horse but I would have to say that his last piece of work was not all that impressive," said Duffield.
The trainer also saddles four runners in the Jebel Ali Racing Club Handicap Stakes, including Aljaareh who won the race 12 months ago, and the promising Estihlal.
"Aljaareh lost to Kepassa at Huntingdon six weeks ago, who is the one to beat on Sunday," said Duffield.
"Estihlal won her maiden nicely but I'm not sure is she's good enough to win this race."
Duffield rated Ejaabi and Marsak, her two entries in the Emirates Breeders Association Handicap Stakes as 'nice horses for the future.'
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