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Dubai: Fawzi Nass has added some regional flavour with two runners from the Bahraini trainer taking on the world's best in the $1million Godolphin Mile (Group 2) on Dubai World Cup night.
Halkin and Aleutian are the two runners from Fawzi's yard and this is the first time Bahrain's top trainer will be represented on the big night. "Last year we had Boston Lodge under Doug Watson in the Godolphin Mile. He did not do that well. But this year we are hoping for a better display," Fawzi told Gulf News during yesterday morning's track work by his runners.
Fawzi refused to pick one of his duos as a better hope and said, "It is very difficult to differentiate between them at this moment."
Good run
Halkin finished fourth in the Burj Nahar on Super Thursday and re-opposes winner Elusive Warning in the Mile on Saturday. "Halkin is a better runner of Turf. In Bahrain we have two racecourses and both are turf. Our entire racing is held on turf. But Halkin has run here thrice and you can expect a good run from him," Fawzi added.
"Wayne Smith will be on Halkin and he has ridden him earlier in Bahrain," added the Bahraini trainer.
Fawzi was also hoping that Aleutian could reproduce his form when finishing second to Jalil.
"Aleutian will be partnered by Johnny Murtagh who has ridden him in the Maktoum Challenge in 2007 when he finished third."
Aleutian, who failed to impress in this year's Maktoum Challenge on Super Thursday had earlier run a smart second to Jalil on February 22.
"If he reproduces that ran he will probably be thereabouts," said Fawzi on Aleutian's chances.
Dirt track
"He ran very well first time up and then he came back sore last time after we trimmed him too close to the race.
"He's over that now and hopefully he'll run well," added Fawzi.
Fawzi watched his duo put in their final works ahead of Saturday's race as Halkin who breezed 600 metres in 33:10 yesterday morning.
Aleutian was pushed out for one circuit of the dirt track yesterday morning pulling away from his work companion by 10 lengths to stop the clock at 58:50 for 1,000 metres, according to the track notes.
According to Fawzi, Bahrain was one of the first countries in the region to have a proper racecourse 25 years back and perhaps one of his two runners could steal the limelight on March 29.
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