Musir to run well at Meydan
January 12, 2012Hamdan, Slack runners shine
January 16, 2012MUSIR moved up sweetly in the hands of Christophe Soumillon and raced away to a three-length success over stablemate Masterofhounds in Thursday night’s Gr 3 Al Maktoum Challenge (Round 1), over 1600m on the all-weather track at Meydan in Dubai.
Musir made victory in this $US200,000 feature look really easy as he wasn’t extended in the least, and Mike was suitably impressed. He said: “Musir is very effective over a mile and up to 1800m. He’s stronger than he was as a young horse, he’s in the manger and he’s tougher, he takes his work and racing much better now.”
Musir gets the victory pat.
Musir finished 3.25-lengths adrift of Victoria Pisa in the Dubai World Cup last year and Mike commented: “The 2000m was stretching it a bit. We’ll prepare him with an eye on the Dubai Duty Free this year. I’d like to switch him back to turf.”
Second-placed Masterofhounds was out of his ground early, but he made steady progress in the home run, running on well under Kevin Shea. His performance was described as “eye-catching” by commentator Terry Spargo and Mike agreed, saying: “Masterofhounds needed the run and he acquitted himself very well. He’s more of a World Cup horse this season.”
Both runners are owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. Musir has won seven of 13 outings including a Gr1, two Gr2’s and two Gr 3 races. The five-year-old entire is by Redoute’s Choice from Dizzy De Lagoa and was bred by the Sheikh himself.
Photos by Andrew Watkins.
2 Comments
Yep Musir is definitely stronger, tougher and more mature. Really looking as a big boy now. I always rated him very highly and I believe actually that he is even better than Asiatic Boy was. Well only the boss, Mike, can confirm that.
My thoughts is that he can win over 2000m – no doubt. The World Cup last year was a funeral procession as they were walking all the way, so he had no chance! Though the boss believes that he is more effective over grass than the tapeta (which may be true!), he looks in my opinion very comfortable on the latter as well as he was cruising with so much ease turning for home in the First Round. Remember also his trademark slalom in the UAE Derby 2010…he must be loving the surface to have done that. I hope that I will be proved wrong going up the Carnival, but I don’t think Musir can glide over the turf (particularly the Meydan turf) with such ease as he did and does on the tapeta. The Duty Free is such a tough race as well and you need tremendous luck to win this race. On several times in the past, MDK horses have met trouble in this race – remember Archipenko.
But anyway, I would love to see Musir landing the Duty Free if he is engaged but I would also like to see Mike de Kock winning his first World Cup he deserves so much!
Really looking forward to the World Cup, would be great if Master of Hounds wins, so glad he”s with Mike now,fingers crossed for an untroubled path 🙂