Bhupat Seemar Stable Tour

No stable will enter the Carnival in better form than that of Bhupat Seemar, a run of results that has taken Seemar to the top of the trainers’ championship.  

The name on the licence changed earlier in the season but it has been very much business as usual and Bhupat will be hoping to continue the rich tradition of Zabeel Stables at the Carnival.

Here, he talks Stephen Molyneux of attheraces.com through some of his leading candidates for the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival.

SECRET AMBITION

“Obviously we didn’t expect him to win the Godolphin Mile in the manner he did, but he is a very smart horse on his day, particularly when he is calm in the gate and breaks well. He is as boisterous as ever at home, working well and we expect him to be ready enough for the first round of the Maktoum Challenge on Friday. Hopefully everything goes well there and then we can consider going to Saudi with him.” 

AVANT GARDE

“A new horse to the yard who came to us having run third in the Godolphin Mile. He was the one closing that day, and all he does is run, so quite probably he won’t be seen to best effect until rounds two and three when he will go up in trip. A neat horse though and he will be ready for Friday but drawn wide isn’t a help, so I expect him to be better further down the line.”

KAFOO

“Came a ready horse from Bob Baffert and has done nothing wrong in winning his two starts. Got into a real battle last time so hopefully that hasn’t left a mark but if he breaks well then I think this race on Friday (also in the Maktoum Challenge) will tell us plenty.”    

KIMBEAR

“Came to us from Doug Watson and I must admit I was surprised with how well he ran for us on his reappearance when third to Imperial Empire. That 7f was short of his best but it was nice to see him finish his race which he hasn’t always done so hopefully he will step up on that.”

IMPERIAL EMPIRE

“Another one in the Maktoum Challenge (one of five for the yard) and he deserves to take his chance after winning both his starts this season. We started him on turf last year as he wasn’t great from the stalls, but he is getting better and quite clearly dirt has improved him this season. This will tell us more.”

SUMMER IS TOMORROW

“Looks all speed and will run over 6f on the opening night. His debut may have left a mark which is why he faded second time but then won nicely on his third outing. The Guineas trial is too close to the Guineas for my liking so that is why we are going on Friday but there is only one Guineas so we will more than likely try and stretch him out for that, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he is better at shorter.”

AL NEFUD

“Superb looking horse and if any horse ever reminded me of North America, then it is him. Big, strong and has made a lovely start to his career here winning twice and both times he has won impressively. We will step him up next time for the second round of the Maktoum Challenge and I think one of his key traits is just having that natural cruising speed that will take plenty of his rivals out of their comfort zones. Going for the second round enables us to give him a bit of a freshen up as although he has won easily the twice he has raced, it still would have taken something out of him. He is very exciting.

DESSMAN

“Dessman will head to the Firebreak, we have to split our milers up somehow. He definitely has talent and his debut for us was a bit of a mess as he was awkward in the stalls. It was only the second time he has finished out of the first two in seven starts so I am convinced he is one to be interested in and should get better with experience over here.”

TUZ

“Has been a bit of a challenge but we take him down to the start early now and it all came together for him on his reappearance. Again, he doesn’t race this week as we are just keeping the milers apart as best we can but will go to the Firebreak. He has lots of ability, he has always shown us that.”

DURANDAL

“Won over 6f on the grass last week and we very much expected him to go and do something like that. He needs further, but options over further are few and far between in the coming weeks so we will probably stick to a sprint handicap for him next. That should at least give him a bit more experience and then we can look at going further later in the Carnival.”

FREEDOM FIGHTER

“Is a lovely horse and has been taking on some decent 3yos in America. We have had him a couple of months now and his first target will be the Dubawi Stakes where he takes on his elders and more than anything I am hoping the race will make him more of a man.”

PABLO ESCOBARR

“Is probably around three weeks away from a run and it’s a case of so far so good with him. He ran well here a couple of years ago for William Haggas and will have those mile and a half turf races in line for him again.”

REMORSE

“Won nicely on his reappearance and then I don’t think really got the run of things when we stepped him up into the Listed Entisar Stakes. He was just a bit short of room and momentum is key on dirt. We have freshened him up since then and he remains a horse I really like. There is a 10f rated conditions race next week that he will likely run in.”

SWITZERLAND

“The track was obviously a bit funny with all the rain we had had but he was still impressive the other day, further enhancing his excellent record fresh. With that in mind, he will go straight to Saudi where he ran so well last year.”

GLADIATOR KING

“Will stay in Dubai and go to the Dubawi next. He has become a bit tricky, particularly in the stalls, but just needs to get his confidence back which I think he will have a good chance of doing in the Dubawi Stakes. The stalls team have done a lot of work with him and will continue to do so and hopefully we can get him back on track.”

PARTENIT

“Has joined us after just two starts in France and is rated 107. He isn’t the biggest and we will likely have to throw him in at the deep end. If nothing else that will toughen him up, but he is an interesting one going forward.”