$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen: Secret Circle leads American challenge

The 1200m Group 1 $2m Dubai Golden Shaheen has attracted a full field of 14 and the dirt sprint promises be a real speed duel.

American challengers tended to dominate the race when contested on dirt at Nad Al Sheba and it would be no surprise if the Stateside raiders were to celebrate a tenth victory in the race.

Bob Baffert saddles Secret Circle (USA) who may not have won since November 2013, but that was in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, America’s premier 1200m dirt sprint championship.

He was running well last season, including a close second when trying to defend his Breeders’ Cup crown and was not beaten far on his sole start to date this year. That was at the end of January and should have put him spot on for Saturday’s test.

Stall seven looks a good draw and should allow him to stalk the early speed, his preferred style of running. Assistant trainer, Dana Barnes, has been riding him out this week.

“He is just a monster of a horse and a proper sprinter,” she said. “He has been full of himself since he arrived and seems at the top of his game.”

Big Macher (USA) is another Grade 1 winner for America and he too looks well berthed in six, one higher than compatriot Salutos Amigos (USA), a Grade 3 winner on both his most recent outings.

Of Big Macher, trainer Richard Baltas said: “We have schooled him at the gates as he has always been bad at the stalls, which probably cost him any chance in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“He is in good shape and, hopefully, will break on terms on Saturday.”

Krypton Factor (GB) won this in 2012 for Bahrain and owner-trainer Fawzi Nass and was fourth in 2013 but well beaten last year. He seeks to emulate Caller One (2001 and 2002), the only previous dual winner of the race.

“He is probably not as good as he was,” said Nass. “That said, he has a decent draw and ran very well first time this season and a slow start did not help him last time on Super Saturday.”

That course and distance Super Saturday contest, the Mahab Al Shimaal, sponsored by Emirates Skywards, provided a surprise winner in the form of Shaishee (USA).

He is trained by Musabah Al Muhairi for HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as is Muarrab (GB), winner of the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint the day before Shaishee’s Meydan success.

The owner’s first retained jockey, Paul Hanagan, rides Muarrab with Dane O’Neill, also in the employ of the owner, aboard Shaishee.

Rich Tapestry (AUS) was second in this last year and is joined by Lucky Nine (Ire) and Super Jockey (NZ) to complete a powerful challenge from Hong Kong, which provided last year’s winner in the shape of Sterling City.

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