NEWS
Better Talk Now better be ready in tough Sheema Classic
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 4:59 PM
BETTER TALK NOW
Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins photo
by K.T. Donovan
Trainer Graham Motion is following a familiar preparation pattern with multiple Grade 1 winner Better Talk Now entering the $5-million Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) on Saturday at Nad al Sheba racecourse.
Better Talk Now galloped 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles)—the distance of the Dubai Sheeme Classic--on Friday on the Nad al Sheba turf course. The gallop, under exercise rider Fenella O’Flynn, left Motion feeling confident about the Talkin Man gelding, a career earner of $4,054,288 who won the 2004 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
“We’ve done pretty much the same thing with him that we did before he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf,” Motion said. “We’ve given him strong gallops rather than breeze here and he’s handled everything great.”
Bushwood Stables’ Better Talk Now enters off an unplaced finish in the Fair Grounds Handicap (G3) on February 9 at Fair Grounds. The nine-year-old gelding earned his fifth career Grade 1 win in last year’s Manhattan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park.
“He’s a horse of a lifetime, really. He’s got such great character,” Motion said. “You’re never supposed to let yourself get too close to your horses, but I’ve gotten way too emotionally attached to him.”
Better Talk Now will face a field of 15 that includes Viva Pataca, a multiple Group 1 winner in Hong Kong who has been declared the race favorite by European punters. The winner of the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (HK-G1) in his previous start on February 24 at Sha Tin, Viva Pataca completing what trainer John Moore called “blow the cobwebs away” exercise on Friday under jockey Darren Beadman.
“We went quicker [Friday] morning because his bodyweight is now up to scratch,” Moore said. “Darren said he felt even better going the opposite way round to Sha Tin. I’m not surprised at that because he won five races going left-handed when he was trained in England.”
Man o’ War Stakes (G1) winner and Arlington Million (G1) third-place finisher Doctor Dino (Fr) jogged on Friday morning. The Muhtathir (GB) horse enters off a win against Sheema Classic participant Quinajo in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) on December 9 at Sha Tin racecourse.
“There may not be too much pace in the race, but that doesn’t really bother me as my horse has a turn of foot,” trainer Richard Gibson said. “In fact, I’d prefer them to go a bit steady rather than a headline gallop, which just might stretch his stamina. He’s in good form and I hope he’ll be thereabouts.”
Youmzain finished third in last year’s edition of the Sheema Classic. Richard Hughes will ride the Sinndar horse, an earner of $1,545,300 who was winless sin six starts in 2007.
“He could not be in a better nick and now it is down to [Hughes],” trainer Michael Channon said. “He wants an end-to-end gallop, but there are enough runners that I can’t believe there will be no pace.”
K.T. Donovan is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
