Hong Kong trainer Caspar Fownes is confident Dundonnell is peaking at the right time for the US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) on dirt on Saturday.
The Englishman who is famous in Singapore for having won three KrisFlyer International Sprints (twice with Lucky Nine in 2013 and 2014, and Green Birdie in 2010) has yet to break through in Dubai, though.
Fownes loves the desert metropolis, and has tried several times with Lucky Nine, Gun Pit, Domineer but the closest he has come to was a third with Lucky Nine in the Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2012. Gun Pit and Domineer never seemed to enjoy the heavy dirt kickback.
He is back again this year, and just like he did with Gun Pit last year, he set Dundonnell for a few lead-up races in the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
The duck has still not been broken with the First Defense seven-year-old picking up two placings, including a third place in the Group 3 Mahab al Shimaal on Super Saturday on March 4.
Dundonnell ran third to Morawij, who will again be in the way in the Golden Shaheen. So is his first Dubai victor, the Godolphin Comicas who beat him into second place at his first Meydan outing in the Track Meydan Golf over 1200m on February 11.
On both occasions, the racing pattern was fairly similar: Tracked and tested the leader, but could not quicken as expected.
Fownes has actually yet to saddle the US-bred gelding to a win. The three wins were earned when he was prepared by Ricky Yiu (1) and Richard Gibson (2), including the Group 2 Sprint Cup (1200m) in 2015.
But the three-time Hong Kong champion trainer is not ruling out the chances of a first hurrah taking place on the world stage at the world’s richest single raceday.
“He’s feeling bloody good,” said Fownes with son Ryan by his side at Meydan.
“The two runs he had here have been good. They have been two very good prep races, even if the second run in the Group 3 race let us down a little at first.
“But when you take another look, it wasn’t such a bad run as he was making ground again towards the end.
“He’s rock-hard fit and that’s what we’ve been looking at since we sent him to Dubai. I think he goes better on the dirt, but he still faces a tough job.
“There are quite a few Group 1 horses in the field and you have to respect them.”
The son of the late Hong Kong trainer Lawrie Fownes does not mind heading in with the outsider tag. Not that he could not handle a bit more pressure when he had the much better-fancied Lucky Nine over in Singapore, and even Green Birdie or Military Attack in the last edition of the Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) in 2015.
Fownes has fond memories of these days when he flew in (seven visits) for the rich pickings at Kranji in May. Three trophies sit on his mantelpiece as a nice memento.
“Obviously, it’s unfortunate we don’t get a chance to come to Singapore anymore as I’ve had a lot of success and a bit of fun there over the years,” he said.
“It’s a time of the year that is greatly missed, but I hope we’ll get a chance to go there again one day.”
