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Dubai: Only five horses have stood their ground to oppose American Horse of the Year Curlin when he makes his eagerly-awaited UAE debut at the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival on Thursday.
The mighty Breeders' Cup Classic winner is using the Jaguar Trophy as his final prep for the $6million Dubai World Cup on March 29. The $175,000 race is run over 2,000 metres on dirt, the same distance as the World Cup.
Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, worked the horse at Nad Al Sheba racecourse on Saturday and reported that Curlin appeared to relish the track and was full of energy.
Curlin also had his first visit to the Nad Al Sheba starting stalls, which are designed differently to the machines he is used to in his native America.
However, he walked straight in without posing any problems, and stayed totally still in the gates before backing out.
Asmussen said earlier last week: "The horse likes to know where he's at. The second time he ran at Belmont was better than the first; the second time he ran at Monmouth was better than the first. And I believe if it's in black and white like that, it's true."
Curlin arrived in Dubai on February 17, spent 48 hours in quarantine, and got his first feel of the Nad al Sheba surface when cantering last week.
He travelled an easy half-mile in :50.50 on Saturday, to the delight of assistant trainer Scott Blasi.
Regular rider Robby Albarado is expected to make the trek to Dubai for tomorrow's race.
Among those facing the American star is Godolphin's Familiar Territory, the second highest rated horse in the field, and the impressive winner of a handicap on February 14.
Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Surour also saddles former Maktoum Challenge winner Imperialista, while Mike de Kock runs recent winner Engrupido.
Catwalk show
Dressed to impress
The Carnival Fillies & Fashion, sponsored by BurJuman, the official fashion partner, Contempo Events and Chiva Som, takes place at Nad Al Sheba tomorrow.
Safiya Burnell, Head of Sales and Marketing at the Dubai Racing Club, said: "The BurJuman Fillies & Fashion events have become one of the first dates in the diary for Dubai's social and sporting set.
"There can't be many better settings than the beautiful lawns of Nad Al Sheba."
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