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Dubai: The owner of Argentina's champion winner of seven Group 1 races, Latency, a runner in today's Maktoum Challenge, is quietly confident his horse can repeat South American champion Invasor's feat of winning the Dubai World Cup.
Dardo Fernandez Aramburu, whose family owns the Juan Udaondo-trained Slew Gin Fizz horse, said both his team and Latency are having a good time in Dubai.
"We have been here a week and more than us the horse is enjoying himself. If he could speak he will be telling me, 'Thanks. After all the hard work the past one week here is paradise!"
True champion
Argentina's champion older horse and champion miler of 2006 most recent win in the Carlos Pellegrini-Internacional (Arg-G1) on December 15 at San Isidro saw the star winning from 23 horses and fighting back from 14th place to post a tremendous win.
While that win was on grass, Fernandez said Latency can handle dirt tracks with similar ease.
"He is a great competitor on turf as well as dirt. He has won five of his seven starts on dirt so that is not a worry. He has also won races from a mile (1,600 metres) up to 2,400 metres. He is a true champion in Argentina," Fernandez said.
Latency, who attempts to become the second successive South American-bred thoroughbred to capture the Dubai World Cup after Invasor's amazing triumph last year, will be ridden by Julio Cesar Mendez, and will be seen in action in today's star-studded Maktoum Challenge (Round Three).
"He has defeated 51 Grade One winners and 15 Grade Two winners. It is a big moment for Argentina to see a horse run in our colours. Earlier we have had Argentine horses race here but for international owners. This is the first time Argentinean-owned silks will have raced here. We are all very excited," said the owner of Latency, who has won 10 of his 22 career starts.
Latency won two Carlos Pellegrini Awards as 2005-06 Champion Miler and Best Older Horse in Argentina, and three of his Group 1 wins have come on dirt, including one over 2000 metres, the distance for the Dubai World Cup.
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