A week after a dual hemisphere assault in elite racing at Dubai’s World Cup meeting and Australia’s autumn carnival, the China Horse Club will chase further success in 2015 this Saturday in two million dollar events in the United States and Australia.
High profile colts Pride of Dubai and Daredevil will bid to add to their outstanding records in Sydney and New York respectively with Pride of Dubai a leading elect in the $A1,000,000 Inglis ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and Daredevil a major player in the $US1,000,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (1800m). Success in the G1 Inglis ATC Sires Produce Stakes would further enhance the future stallion appeal of Pride of Dubai as a two time G1 winning juvenile. While success in the Wood Memorial would see Daredevil on track for America’s most iconic horse race, the Kentucky Derby.
“Racing at the elite carnivals of the world is a priority for the China Horse Club and its members and we are delighted that we have thoroughbreds that can justify racing at events like the Dubai World Cup last weekend and this weekend at The Championship in Sydney,” said Eden Harrington, General Manager of the China Horse Club.
“Our members are driven to succeed and in Pride of Dubai and Daredevil we have an outstanding opportunity to add to our growing record of G1 success.”
Pride of Dubai announced himself as a superior colt when overcoming severe interference to win the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, the richest two-year-old race in Melbourne. Trainer Peter Snowden elected to bypass the Golden Slipper and focus on this weekend’s G1 ATC Sires Produce Stakes.
“I have always thought he would get better at seven furlongs [1400m] and the break he has had has helped him,” Snowden said in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He is very relaxed and as we saw in the Blue Diamond he is pretty tough. He is a very good colt.”
Daredevil was no less imposing as a juvenile in the United States six months ago. The Todd Pletcher trained individual streeted rivals on debut and then annexed the G1 Champagne Stakes at his next start before being caught wide throughout in his final start as a two-year-old in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
In his seasonal debut in the G2 Swale Stakes, the strapping three-year-old finished second and Pletcher has been pleased with his subsequent progress in what is a key lead up event to America’s iconic race, the Kentucky Derby.
Daredevil
“[Daredevil] did win at a mile as a two-year-old, so that gives us some confidence that he will stretch out,” Pletcher told the TDN. “His half-brother Albertus Maximus won the [GI] Donn Handicap, which gives us added confidence. Plus, we had success with Verrazano (by Daredevil’s sire More than Ready) around two turns in the Wood Memorial and [GI] Haskell [Invitational S.], which gives us confidence that More Than Ready can produce a horse that would do that.
“I think [Daredevil] is very talented. He is also fast and part of his success stretching out will be how he settled in the first part. We are excited about the opportunity and looking forward to it. Like everyone else, we are going to be interested to see how he sees out the mile and an eighth (1800m).”
An audio interview on ESPN on the China Horse Club and Daredevil can be heard from the below link. The interview under I’d Rather Be In China begins at 9:00 http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=12573998 (This interview was conducted in English)