Singapore numbers in Dubai are dwindling with news that up to seven horses are on their way back home and taking no further part in the Dubai carnival.
Trainer Steven Burridge said the four horses that he has had in Dubai since the start of the year are heading home while Michael Freedman said two of the four horses he sent early last month will also be returning shortly.
And the Bruce Marsh-trained Gingerbread Man is more than likely to be joining them, although a decision will be made later in the week.
Burridge, who at one stage had the enviable record of four winners from just five runners at Meydan, said his team had reached their marks in Dubai.
Dark Matter was twice successful at Meydan while Captain Obvious and Ip Man were also victorious. His other runner in Dubai Apache Crown ran fourth at his only start before going amiss on the training track.
“They have done a great job over there but they all have reached their mark,” said Burridge.
“The competition is only going to get tougher for them now, so I think we will pull up stumps and get them home.”
Freedman said Always Certain and The Comedian would be returning to Singapore while Cash Luck and Better Be The One would stay on – at least for the time being.
Cash Luck is down to run at Meydan on Saturday night while Better Be The One will remain in Dubai and run in the Group 1 US$1 million Al Quoz Sprint over 1000m on World Cup Night – March 31.
“I'm at a bit of a loss to explain the runs of Always Certain and The Comedian who haven't raced up to expectations,” said Freedman.
“Both have been eating and doing everything right. They just haven't shown their form that I know they're capable of on the racetrack.
“I'll bring them home, give them a bit of break and hopefully they'll be right for the weight-for-age races in the middle of the year.
“Cash Luck will run again on Saturday night and a decision will be made on whether he goes on to World Cup night or also comes home after that run.
“He's not well off being a southern hemisphere bred three-year-old having to give weight to the northern hemisphere horses, but he's doing well and deserves another chance.
“Better Be The One we have decided to just save him up for World Cup night. We just want him nice a fresh and give him one chance rather than run him again in the lead-up.”
Marsh said it was more than likely that Gingerbread Man would be returning home although a final decision was still to be made.
“Everything has gone against him,” said Marsh. “Since he got to Dubai he's been in a stable complex all by himself and had lost about 20kg in weight.
“He hadn't seen another horse until he got to the races last Thursday night. He became very colty and had run his race by the time he got around to the start.
“We'll just monitor him for the rest of the week and see how he does but at this stage I would say it is more than likely that he will be coming home.”
The Patrick Shaw-trained Rocket Man and Ato are to head to Dubai on March 24, a week before the Dubai World Cup meeting.
Rocket Man will be out to defend his title in the Group 1 US$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen over 1200m on the Tapeta while Ato will be joining Better Be The One in the Al Quoz Sprint.
Meanwhile jockey Stephen Baster is doing a hit-and-run trip back home to Melbourne on Saturday to ride in the Group 1 $1 million Newmarket Handicap over the straight 1200m course.
Baster has been booked to ride the David Payne-trained Master Of Design which has 52kg on Saturday. He will fly out after racing in Singapore on Friday night, returning on Saturday night to ride at Kranji on Sunday.
“The horse didn't have a lot of luck in the (Group 1) Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield last time and the owners have asked me to come down and ride it,” said Baster.
“I've had a bit of luck in the Newmarket before and it looks a fairly open race this year.”
Baster has won two Newmarket Handicaps previously – on Mookta in 1994 and Rubitano in 2002.
