JOCKEY Kevin Shea and assistant trainer Steven Jell (photo), along with Christophe Soumillon and Trevor Brown, will hold the fort at Meydan in Dubai on Thursday night. Mike de Kock has returned to Johannesburg for a brief visit prior to the final stretch of the 2011 Dubai Racing Carnival.
The team will be sending out veteran runners Mr Brock and Hunting Tower in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup over 2200m on the All-Weather and Mike suggested on Wednesday that Mr Brock could have his consistency rewarded.
“Mr Brock took his last run very well and he is in top shape, the best I’ve seem him in a long time. He should go close.”
Hunting Tower, a course and distance winner recently, is expected to “run his normal, game race”.
Soumillon will be asked to ride smart filly Here To Win closer to the pace in the Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire over 1900m on the AW and Mike said: “We expected Here To Win to get her name in the board this season and she has been somewhat disappointing in not doing so, but her work remains excellent and I think if we race her handier she could get it right this time.”
Wonder Lawn was given a penalty for his win over 2000m on turf just recently, but he will have a money chance again when he steps out over the same course and distance in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire, the final race on this programme.
“Wonder Lawn has a tougher task this time,” said Mike, “but he is in form and racing with confidence. He should be involvced in the shake-up.”
Photo by Andrew Watkins.
