Presvis primed for Dubai Duty Free
Dubai specialist Presvis is reported bang on target for another crack at the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free having pleased his trainer Luca Cumani in his final piece of work before the high profile race, one of the main supporting events on the World Cup card at Meydan on Saturday evening, writes Elliot Slater.
Runner-up to Gladiatorius in the 2009 renewal of the $5 million contest, Cumani’s charge was strongly fancied to go one better last season but never got into the race under Christophe Lemaire and eventually trailed in a very disappointing 11th of the 16 runners behind Al Shemali so was a massive let down in UK & Irish racing tips.
Saved specifically for the Dubai Carnival fixture and the Dubai Duty Free race this time around, Presvis got his desert campaign off to a fine start in late-January when easily accounting for the reliable Steele Tango by four-and-three-quarter lengths in the Group 2 Al Rashidiya over nine furlongs. Expected to take all the beating last time out as he went in search of his fifth career win in Dubai in the Group2 Jebel Hatta at the beginning of March, the gelded son of Sakhee was sent off 5/4 favourite but lost out in a blanket finish behind Michael Bell’s Wigmore Hall, coming third beaten just a neck and a nose.
Although beaten last time out Cumani felt that his horse ran a very solid race and believes he is set to give a very good account of himself once again in Saturday’s night’s contest. Normally in UK and Irish racing, Ryan Moore will be in the saddle on board the current 9/2 co-favourite. Wigmore Hall, who continues to improve by leaps and bounds is one of the other two co-favourites having put up a tremendous performance in coming from last to first last time out, whilst Godolphin’s Mendip, winner of the Group 3 Burj Nahaar three weeks ago, is the other co-market leader.
