WILL MODERN DANCER BE STOPPED FROM SHAKING A LEG UP THE HILL?

By Duane Fonseca

Charlie Appleby runners have seemingly become a regular feature of racing at Jebel Ali Racecourse with the British Champion Flat Trainer entering yet another runner in yet another feature event on successive afternoons of racing at the hill. Appleby marked his racecourse debut with Sovereign Prince in the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile a little over a fortnight ago and now has Modern Dancer plying his trade in the 1400m conditions contest for 3yos, which is the standout event on the seven race card on Sunday.

Yeah that’s right Sunday! Jebel Ali’s now fixed Saturday slot has been moved a day to accommodate the fourth running of the Saudi Cup card that is scheduled for Saturday and midway through what is expected to be an interesting afternoon of racing, Modern Dancer will lock horns with a few tough divisional names that have somehow missed the grade that would have carried them into bigger things.

AN EXPERIMENT?

A Kingman colt, Modern Dancer’s tilt up the hill seems nothing but an experiment, with connections perhaps hoping to assess his handling of a surface he’s never raced on before and a trekking excursion that could prop him up for tougher assignments in the weeks and months to come.

Placed in the three starts that followed his victorious debut, Modern Dancer makes his UAE debut and returns to the racecourse after a little over four months, having last tasted competitive action in a 1400m handicap at Newmarket in October, where he finished runner-up by a neck behind stable companion and Godolphin teammate Desert Order.

TESTING TIMES AWAIT DANCER

Having to debut locally at Jebel Ali is a tough assignment and his mettle will be tested by the likes of Bhupat Seemar’s Talentum, victorious here over a 1200m trip nearly a month back. A 3yo full son of Accelerate, Talentum finished a distant seventh on his last start in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas, but how much he would have gleaned from that experience remains to be seen as he drops in class.

That leaves the door open for a few of his fellow UAE-trained rivals like Ahmad bin Harmash’s Al Hajaj, by War Command, was fourth in a 1400m turf maiden just last week on what was his fifth career start, with his distant last of nine finish in the 1800m Listed Jumeirah Classic Trial, one start prior, doing a bit to boost his confidence as he seemed to trade early blows keeping pace with the front runners before running out of steam and trotting across the finish last.

Redemption could come Sunday but it won’t be easy. Taking a look at the 1000m sprint handicap and Leading Spirit definitely seems potent alongside Persian Empire, but if Jebel Ali resident handler Michael Costa has persuaded Bilhayl to carry his form forward, the 5yo Shamardal gelding will definitely be the one to beat on the basis of his solid three length defeat of Rayig in a strip and trip run a fortnight ago.

After four tepid attempts to lose his maiden tag, Bilhayl sat off the pace early on and breezed past the field when ordered to do so by Jean van Overmeire, much of the same can be expected from the pair yet again, and those backing Razeen Dubai will be hoping the 4yo Frosted entire, third behind Bilhayl on that occasion, is able to make amends at a track where he has twice scored in sprints.

SELECTIONS

Race 1: AF Afham (NB)
Race 2: Mezzotinto
Race 3: Harvest Gold
Race 4: Bilhayl
Race 5: Shake Hand (Nap)
Race 6: Far Sky
Race 7: Leadership