Karaka Graduates In The Spotlight At Meydan

Three Karaka graduates are due to make their debut in Dubai led by Australian G1 winner Music Magnate.

Trainer Bjorn Baker has accepted Music Magnate’s invitation to the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on the March 21 while Singapore stakes winners Gilt Complex and Bahana have already arrived in Dubai and tested the track ahead of their major assignments in March.

Doomben Ten Thousand winner Music Magnate won his barrier trial at Rosehill on Monday in preparation for his trip to Dubai.

Gilt Complex and Bahana had their first start over 2000m in Dubai on February 8. Gilt Complex could proceed to the G2 Dubai City of Gold on March 10 while Bahana could line up in a race on World Cup night.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival runs to March 10 with the racing action building towards the 23rd running of the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 31, It concludes the UAE season and boasts total prize purses of US$30 million.

Kiwi horses have previously performed to the highest levels in Dubai. Hong Kong Horse of the Year and Champion Stayer Vengeance of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel) claimed the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic Stakes while Joy and Fun (NZ) (Cullen) won the Group 3 Al Quoz Sprint Stakes also placing twice in the race after it received an upgrade to Group 1 status. Karaka graduate Gun Pit (Dubawi) is an eight-time winner in Hong Kong who laid it all on the track in Dubai to place second on the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Stakes.

Over the years, Kiwi stars such as Sunline and Seachange and more recently Karaka graduates So You Think and Ocean Park headed to Dubai in attempts to replicate their G1 form.

Sunline travelled over with nine G1 wins under her belt to place third in the G2 Dubai Duty Free Stakes; Seachange went with seven G1 wins for two respectable performances in the G2 Jebel Hatta Stakes and G1 Dubai Duty Free Stakes; So You Think had a record of eight G1 wins in New Zealand, Australia and England before he placed fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup and Ocean Park collected five G1 wins before his last career start in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Stakes.

There are Kiwi connections to three Karaka horses taking on Dubai this season.

MUSIC MAGNATE - Trainer Bjorn Baker

Q. How does it feel to have your first Group 1 winner now your first international runner?

It’s exciting. I have raced horses in Australasia for a while so it’s definitely a new step. I have seen some of the horses I have trained go on to good things in Hong Kong so it’s nice to have crack at Dubai. The racing world is getting ever smaller so no doubt I will run into some long-lost friends.

Funnily enough, I was in Dubai when Vengeance of Rain won. That was the last time I was there and hopefully I can go to Dubai twice to see two New Zealand-breds win.

Q. He won his trial at Rosehill Gardens on Monday 19 February. What is your strategy between now and the US$1 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on 31 March?

I think the race will suit him well, more than likely on a good track. He’s a high-class horse when he’s right. We will probably give him another trial in a couple of weeks. At the moment he couldn’t be any better – he’s really healthy and well.

He has a bit of residual fitness as he raced at the end of December and won at Randwick, so the main thing is to keep him ticking along and keep him happy. We will go over probably 11 days before the race.

Q. What needs to happen for you to race your horses more often in Dubai?

If you have the horse, the motto is we’ll travel. In Australia we are very lucky we have such good stake money. What it really comes down to is finding the right race and balancing out what is best for the horse.

GILT COMPLEX - Graham Mackie and Trish Dunell

Q. Gilt Complex has recently been crowned Champion Older Horse and Stayer in Singapore. What would be a good outcome in Dubai?

Just to be competitive. He is definitely a stayer – the Zabeel factor helps with that. He’s a lovely horse and settles in well anywhere. We’re just hoping to get to Dubai ourselves and have him at least being competitive. And actually, I think he will be.

He’s had a start already and we weren’t expecting too much – we can just put a line through that first race.

Q. You purchased him for just $10,000 and he has won more than $1.5m in prizemoney. What was is that you liked about him as a yearling?

Anna Scott bought him for us but I was going around looking at a lot of horses with her. He was a very baby looking horse but also very athletic looking. He won his first trial here in New Zealand as a two-year-old and really he just looked like a yearling.

BAHANA - Trainer: Stephen Gray

Q. With the ultimate goal to have a start on World Cup night, Bahana had his first start over 2000m with fellow Kiwi-bred Gilt Complex. What have you taken away from his performance?

It wasn’t a very suitable lead up run as he drew wide and got trapped wide. It was hard to get a line on him because we just didn’t have things go his way, but he needed the race. He has done really well since and he’s running over 2000m again on the 1 March.

He will be much fitter and better for the race, and we just hope we get a better barrier draw.

Q. He was crowned Champion Stayer in Singapore in 2016 with back-to-back wins in the El Dorado Classic and Singapore Gold Cup that season. How do you compare the racing in Singapore to Dubai?

The stayers in Dubai are strong, but I don’t think the horses are any better. It’s a matter of getting them acclimatised and used to the place. The sprinters I noticed weren’t as strong in Dubai – I think the New Zealand and Australian sprinters would more than compete. When we look at the carnival races I’m not sure we’re good enough for those, but nothing ventured nothing gained.