In the days leading up to the $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 27, usracing.com is profiling the contenders for the 2,000-meter (about 1 ¼ miles) race. The profiles will be updated with odds, post positions and jockeys following the post-position draw scheduled for Wednesday (March 24).
By Richard Rosenblatt
Photo Courtesy of Dubai Racing Club and Erika Rasmussen
He’s earned over $1.5 million, and he’s certainly shown his willingness to go a distance, at least on the turf. So, what the heck, why not send out Gifts Of Gold in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) on his home track, Meydan Racecourse?
After all, the 6-year-old is trained by Saeed bin Suroor, looking for his 10th World Cup win, and is owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation.
Gifts Of Gold comes into the 2,000-meter (about 1 ¼ miles) dirt race off a victory in the 1 7/8-mile Red Sea Turf Handicap on Saudi Cup day, Feb. 20. He breezed last Thursday (March 18) at Godolphin’s Al Quoz base.
“We are very happy with him, he will canter for the rest of the week and we are just hoping for a good draw now,’’ bin Suroor said.
In his previous three victories Gifts of Gold, a gelding, has won at 1 1/8 and 1 ¼ miles in in the U.K.
In the Red Sea Turf, Gifts Of Gold got off to a slow start, but ran comfortably behind the leaders before making his winning move with about a furlong to go in the long-distance race.
“This was the plan since January when racing started in Dubai,’’ bin Suroor said after the race. “I thought he would be the perfect horse. He’s a big strong horse and he ran well. The pace of the race wasn’t that fast and that suited him, and he finished the race off really well.”
2021 Dubai World Cup Profile: Gifts Of Gold
Post position: TBD
Odds: TBD
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Jockey: Pat Cosgrove
Owner: Godolphin
Age: 6
Career record: 13-4-3-1
Career earnings: $1,569,564
Top Equibase speed figure: N/A
Pedigree: Invincible Spirit-Sanna Bay, by Refuse To Bend
Color: Bay
Running style: Mid-pack
Notes: Before his win in Saudi Arabia, Gifts of Gold finished 11th in the Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (G2) on Jan. 21, well behind Military Law, Thegreatcollection, and Salute The Soldier – three horses he will face again in the World Cup … Gifts Of Gold was bred in Ireland and purchased for $300,580 at the Goffs November Foals Sale … None of his four wins have come at Meydan, where he is 0-for-5 … Cosgrove was aboard for the win in the Red Sea Turf.
2021 Dubai World Cup Entries
MYSTIC GUIDE (USA) USA Michael Stidham
CHUWA WIZARD (JPN) Japan Ryuji Okubo
MAGNY COURS (USA) France Andre Fabre
SALUTE THE SOLDIER (GER) Bahrain Fawzi Nass
JESUS’ TEAM (USA) USA Jose Francisco D’Angelo
SLEEPY EYES TODD (USA) USA Miguel Angel Silva
GIFTS OF GOLD (IRE) UAE Saeed bin Suroor
HYPOTHETICAL (IRE) UAE Salem bin Ghadayer
MILITARY LAW (IRE) UAE Musabbeh Al Mheiri
GREAT SCOT (GB) Saudi Arabia Abdullah Moshrif
THEGREATCOLLECTION (USA) UAE Douglas Watson
TITLE READY (USA) USA Dallas Stewart
AJUSTE FISCAL (URU) Uruguay Antonio Cintra
CAPEZZANO(USA) UAE Salem bin Ghadayer
Over the years while working at The Associated Press, Rich Rosenblatt became a familiar name to legions of the horse racing fans and industry insiders with his award-winning articles on horse racing and his stories from the backstretch.
In addition to being an astute observer of sports, Rosenblatt is the co-author of The All-American Chili Cookbook. His work has been seen in just about every publication in the world, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Time Magazine.
