NEWS
Dubai World Cup hopeful Nayef has first work at Nad al Sheba
Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2001
Dubai Champion Stakes (Eng-G1) winner Nayef made his first move over the Nad al Sheba Race Course strip in Dubai on Thursday as preparations continue for his dirt debut in the $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 23.
Nayef and jockey Richard Hills cantered one lap around the main track under the lights with a workmate during the evening's racecard to become familiarized with the surroundings of the world's richest race.
"He had a good look at the lights tonight as well as the crowd and experienced the atmosphere and it will do him well," Hills said. "He is rather playful but tonight's experience will be very useful."
Nayef has been entered in both the Dubai World Cup at 1¼ miles on the main track and the $2-million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) at 1½ miles on the turf by owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum. Hills said switching the three-year-old son of Gulch to the dirt for the Dubai World Cup should not be a problem.
"That is about as fast as he has gone so far since he has been here, and from what he has shown me there is no reason why he won't handle the dirt as well as he has handled the turf," Hills said. "The Dubai World Cup is the race we all want to win, and while he will be aimed at that race, Sheikh Hamdan has the final say."
Prior to the Dubai Champion Stakes, Nayef, who has won six of nine career starts, scored in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes (Eng-G3) at Haydock Park and the Select Stakes (Eng-G3) at Goodwood for trainer Mark Tregoning.
