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Dubai: Despite a sketchy build-up, Seachange trainer Ralph Manning is hoping to get an endorsement for New Zealand on World Cup night.
"She has not had the ideal build-up to this race, but we will have to believe in her strengths on race night," Manning told Gulf News as he watched Seachange train at Nad Al Sheba yesterday morning.
Seachange is only the second horse ever from New Zealand to run on Dubai World Cup night. Considered New Zealand's champion horse, she will be one of the prime contenders for the $5 million Dubai Duty Free (Group 1) turf race this year.
Making the debut for the Kiwis was Sunline in 2001 where she ended third behind Jim And Tonic and Fairy King Prawn.
"This is comparatively a new frontier for us," Manning admitted.
In form
However, Seachange comes to Dubai with a lot of form. Listed among her major achievements at home are top finishes in the Telegraph Handicap and Waikato Draught Sprint prior to her travel to Dubai this year.
The seven-time Group 1-winning mare is expected to make history as the first New Zealand-trained horse to win at a Dubai World Cup meeting.
Owned and bred by Karreman Bloodstock Ltd, the six-year-old mare ended sixth at the Jebel Hatta - Nayef Group 2 race earlier this month, but since then has shown a lot of promise.
Trainer Manning is confident the daughter of Cape Cross is capable of winning the Dubai Duty Free race. "We would have been better off if we had spent some time in Australia and have a sort of ideal build-up for Dubai. But that never happened and we ended up with too much space in-between races," Manning stated.
However, he believes in the capability of his horse. "She's been here six weeks and she has improved tremendously since her last run here," Manning stated.
"She's a pretty laid-back horse, and she has settled in well during the past few weeks," he added.
Seachange is expected to face a tough field in next Saturday's race including Group 1 Prix du Moulin winner Darjina and dual 1,000 Guineas heroine, Finsceal Beo.
"She is the best New Zealand horse since Sunline, and despite all these odds we expect her to deliver on Saturday," Manning said. "She is a competitive horse, she is a great galloper, her temperament is amazing and her will to win is huge," the trainer said.
"She just eats and sleeps and that's great for us. We are here to win," Manning stressed.
Ted Durcan, the multiple UAE champion jockey, will be aboard Seachange.
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