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Henry Cecil, 10-times champion trainer in Britain with 35 classic victories on his CV, took one look at the breathtaking grandstand at Meydan and said “simply amazing, it has blown me away.”
Cecil, whose Twice Over is 5-1 favourite with Ladbrokes for Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, won his first Breeders Cup race with Midday in California last year, and now he hopes to conquer the UAE.
He said: “In 1969, my first season training, I won the Observer Gold Cup at Doncaster with Approval. It is one of the most prestigious two-year-old races in the calendar back home and these days carries Group 1 status, but the winner’s purse was not much more than £3,000. Now here I am trying to win a US$10m prize.
“What [His Highness] Sheikh Mohammed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum] has achieved in such a short space of time is unbelievable. Meydan is a fantastic racecourse and you have to take your hats off to him for having such vision to make his dream become reality.”
Twice Over, winner of the Champion Stakes at Newmarket last autumn and subsequently third behind the US superstar Zenyatta in the Breeders Cup Classic, only came out of quarantine on Wednesday, having arrived in Dubai on Monday.
Cecil, who has won the Epsom Derby on no fewer than four occasions, added:”People have different ideas, but I prefer to do all the work with my horse at home and then fly over late. I think Twice Over is pretty fit and I won’t be making any excuses on that score – at least not until Sunday! Twice Over has really blossomed since we pulled him out of the fast lane last summer, and I’d like to think that this could be the start of a wonderful year, both for him and me.
“It is always tough for a three-year-old in the early part of the season – they are continually being out-muscled by the older horses, and it is not until the end of July that they have the strength to hold their own. The Weinstocks’ Ballymacoll Stud have constantly come up with horses who improve as they get older, and Twice Over’s pedigree suggests that he comes into that sort of category. It is not ideal being drawn 11 on Saturday, but, though I’d rather be three or four places further in, I was keen to avoid the inside. We will feel our way in the race and hopefully get lucky.
“Ideally, we would have had a prep-race somewhere, but after Santa Anita we had to give him a break and the only option was the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield which came a bit early.”
Cecil, renowned for being one of the most snazzy dressers in the sport, is looking remarkably chipper, having battled cancer for several years. “We are here and we’ll give it our best shot –and the shopping is good, too,” he added.

The 2010 Post Position Draw for the Dubai World Cup was held this evening at The Meydan Hotel, where the final fields and post position draws were revealed for the upcoming 2010 Dubai World Cup race meeting on Saturday.
In the number one stall is Godolphin’s Allybar, trained under Mahmoud Al Zarooni who commented: “It will be my first day as a full fledged trainer and I will be very nervous but I am happy with the inside draw”.
Stall number two was drawn by Gitano Hernando, who’s owner Barry Irwin said “[Jockey] Keiren Fallon will be relieved that we have stall two and this horse is getting better as he gets older”. The draw also delighted his trainer Marco Botti who added: “Barrier two is great. From there Keiren should be able to have him midfield or slightly better, and there is pace in the race which will suit him”.
Japan’s contender Red Desire will jump from barrier three, with the trainer commenting that draw “didn’t matter” and “the reason [I] picked up the number one was because it was placed in would be the winning position on a left-handed course”.
American raider Gio Ponti starts out of gate four, and the assistant trainer Christophe Lorieul said: “That’s great, we wanted to be in the first half. We were rooting to be in the first half, it doesn’t seem to be much kick back and the rail is the closest way around”.
2009 Dubai World Cup runner up Gloria de Campeao drew barrier number five with Stefan Friborg saying “I’m really happy with that draw. We’re not just here for the money but for the honour to be up against 13 of the best horses in the world”.
French hopeful Vision d’Etat follows on in stall six, and trainer Eric Libaud seemed complacent, and described the horse as perhaps even better than Terre A Terre, Dubai Duty Free 2002 winner.
Mike de Kock’s Lizard’s Desire drew stall number seven, with Racing Manager Yousef Al Sayegh optimistic, as “seven is my lucky number”.
Jim Cornes representing owners of Furthest Land chose barrier eight, and he said “[The horse] has settled down well since he arrived from America and it will be great to think that it could give Ken and Sarah Ramsey a second [Dubai] World Cup in after Roses in May 2005”.
Trainer Brian Meehan, who’s horse Crowded House drew stall number 9 said “[It] is an ok draw because they will go a fast pace and I’m happy with that. He needed his two prep races which have blown the cob webs away.”
America’s other hopeful in the race, Richard’s Kid goes from barrier ten, and the assistant trainer Jim Barnes was relieved, saying: “I spoke to Bob [Baffert] on the phone and he was just glad I didn’t choose number 14 – the titanic”.
Twice Over, trained by Henry Cecil drew gate number 11, and Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe said “All our three horses have been drawn wide and it’s disappointing as they all need to be handy. Twice Over hit a flat spot last summer but Henry Cecil found two confidence boosting wins and he won the Championships Stakes at Newmarket really well, and then ran a blinder at the Breeder’s Cup. the idea of taking him to California was to find out if he acted on a synthetic surface as this race has always been in the back of our mind”.
Godolphin’s Mastery will run from barrier number 12, the same post Curlin won from in 2008, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented “The draw is ok, as Frankie knows him well and he will be able to get a good position. The horse is in good form and has worked well on the surface so we are hopeful”
Last in the field is Saudi Arabia’s Amor de Pobre, who’s handler Jerry Barton said “Glad to be in there no matter what the post. Now we just leave it up to the rider. No one would have picked the outside post but that’s racing luck You could see us up on the lead if no one goes for it”.

Veteran geldings typically comprise the claiming ranks in American racing. Presious Passion, who starts in Saturday’s US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by China Guangsha at Meydan Racecourse is far from typical.
Carrying the tradition of such well-known American geldings as John Henry or The Tin Man, Presious Passion has developed his own niche in recent years. Few horses have his style - go, go, go.
Trainer Mary Hartmann didn’t intend for the Florida-bred to runaway early in his races, a style which left his backers gasping in the Group 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park last July. Presious Passion led the field by 20 lengths early, and held on by two.
“I don’t know where that came from,” she said, earlier this week at Meydan. “At three, he showed speed and we tried to settle him and make a regular turf horse out of him. And for a while he did come from off the pace. He’d be last and he’d win. And then a couple of years ago he started doing this and he was doing it successfully so we leave him alone.”
With such a distinct style, it could be assumed that the 7-year-old, by Royal Anthem, would be difficult to contain in the mornings, but Hartmann said the opposite is true. “He stands more than he trains,” she said. “He’s very relaxed galloping. Usually the reins are loose, and he’s a very calm guy. He’s a looker. He loves to look.”
He also loves to travel. According to Hartmann, the chestnut picked up on the signs that an adventure was in store before departing for Dubai. “We breezed him at Gulfstream and he knew something was up because he can almost count the days till it’s time to run,” she said. “Then the van comes up and he was like, ‘Road trip, ok.’ He saw his bags getting packed. He was so happy, he pranced to the van. He didn’t know where he was going but he was good to go.”
Presious Passion was purchased out of a field in Florida by owner Patricia Generazio in a package deal for a mere US$20,000. In 44 starts, he has earned US$2,666,293 for his owner, and was named 2009 Florida-bred Horse of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Eclipse Award as outstanding turf male of 2009 in the United States.
Presious Passion holds a special place for Hartmann. “I have had a lot of nice horses personality wise,” she said. “He’s one of the top of all the horses I can remember for thirty years or so. He’s just got a great personality.” Like a young boy, Presious Passion won’t tolerate coddling when his friends are nearby. “If nobody is around he will give you a little snug,” Hartmann said. “But if people are around he won’t snug with me. He’s very laid back. He’ll look in your pocket for a carrot, ya know.”
Hartmann has a connection with her horse that made it more difficult to see him beaten, but the veteran trainer is realistic. “I was a little upset in the Breeders’ Cup that it wasn’t a fuller field because I figured if it was a 12-horse field Conduit coming from behind might have some traffic problems,” she said. “I was thrilled to run second. He got beat a half of a length. He went out there, he ran his race, he put himself on the line. What else can you ask for?”
What else? Perhaps the accolade of the only American horse to win the Dubai Sheema Classic? Mary Hartmann is aware of Saturday’s challenges. “There’s a long stretch here,” she said. “That concerns me. I didn’t look but I don’t think anybody has his speed. Mile and a half turf horses aren’t supposed to do what he does. I feel he’ll take people out of their game. You have to adjust a little bit or he’s gone.”

The final meeting before Dubai World Cup night featured the Meydan Masters, four 12-runner handicaps on the All Weather track contested by some of the world’s top jockeys. On a night sponsored by Meydan, it was Richard Hills, retained jockey to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who won the prize after riding a winner, a second and a third.
Aaron Gryder, who won the final Nad Al Sheba Dubai World Cup on Well Armed last March, won the opening leg of the Meydan Masters on Alazeyab, trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe. Gryder said: “I do like it here in Dubai and last March was very special. It is great to get straight on the board and the Meydan Masters is a great addition.”
Gryder was then third in the 1400m handicap on Consul General who led 300m out but had no answer to the late challenge of Richard Hills on Sirocco Breeze who was virtually last turning for home but flew home to win cosily. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, he had won in the same manner on his previous start and Hills was delighted: “These challenges are great fun for the jockeys and it is nice to get a winner. This horse had good form coming into the race and I knew he was one of my best chances.”
It was the turn of Kent Desormeaux in the 2200m handicap but it was another winner for Godolphin as Once More Dubai flew down the centre of the track to land the spoils to the delight of the jockey who showed the crowd Frankie Dettori does not have the monopoly on flying dismounts. He said: “This is a great occasion and all the jockeys are really enjoying it – of course riding a winner is a big help!”
Christophe Lemaire was in the saddle in the concluding leg, a 2000m handicap, on the Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained Kal Barg whom he produced late on the far rail to lead close home. Richard Hills was third on Monte Alto to clinch the title.
The other three races were on the turf, including the featured Group 2 Zabeel Mile, over 1600m and won by the Mike De Kock-trained Imbongi under Chrsitophe Soumillon. He led close home to deny Kalahari Gold, trained by Doug Watson, in a tight finish to the delight of De Kock who said: “I have to be very pleased with that as we were concerned about the going being a bit firm. Hopefully we will go to Dubai World Cup night now but we must decide between the Dubai Duty Free and the Godolphin Mile.”
The first ever race on the 1200m straight turf course was won by Judd Street, ridden by Kieren Fallon for Eve Johnson Houghton. He prevailed in a desperately tight finish to deny Star Crowned and the jockey said: “He has had to dig very deep to win that and he has stuck his neck out very gamely.”
Ahmed Ajtebi was in the saddle on Frozen Power who ran out the comfortable winner of the night’s first grass race, the 1600m Meydan Classic. Carrying the Godolphin blue, he was produced with a sustained challenge 200m out to win going away to the delight of Ajtebi who saluted those watching from the Meydan Hotel.
Runner-up in the UAE 2000 Guineas previously, he is a horse Ajtebi likes: “He ran two great races in defeat and his Guineas run was a very good one. Perhaps he will go for the UAE Derby now.”