Godolphin Super Saturday Team Is Minus Rebel's Romance

Super Saturday, the final meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, usually provides a dress rehearsal for the best local horses being pointed to the rich events on Dubai World Cup (G1) night and the March 4 renewal is no exception. Stated another way, a lot of quality runners toting the Godolphin blue will be on display on the Meydan Racecourse surface -- with one notable absence. Rebel's Romance (IRE), the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) winner, was slated to make his 5-year-old debut in the $250,000 Dubai City of Gold (G2) at 2,410 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) on the turf. Instead, Godolphin announced March 1 in a tweet the Dubawi (IRE) gelding "was found to have inflammation in his foreleg during a routine inspection... and will miss Saturday's City of Gold." Godolphin said Rebel's Romance "is still aiming" for the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on World Cup night. The defection still leaves Godolphin with four of the best-fancied entries in the 14-horse field in Kemari (GB), Global Storm (IRE), Global Heat (IRE), and White Wolf (IRE). None, though, has anything like the luster of Rebel's Romance, also the winner of the 2021 U.A.E. Derby (G2). Among the remaining rivals is Hong Kong-based Senor Toba (AUS), who finished seventh behind fellow Hong Kong traveler Russian Emperor (IRE) in the HH The Amir Trophy in Doha Feb. 18. The $450,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (G1) is the local prep for the $12 million World Cup. Fifteen are entered and if any of them is to compete with the foreigners arriving for the big night, improvement is imperative. Trainer Bhupat Seemar has four of the 15 and Bendoog, a 4-year-old Gun Runner colt, looks the best of them off a runner-up showing in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2). However, he finished six lengths behind that evening's winner, Algiers (IRE), who sits this one out. American trainer Doug O'Neill fields Sifting Sands (GB), who disappointed in his first two starts of the Dubai season going shorter than this 2,000 meters. Eight-year-old Salute the Soldier (GER) and Atletico El Culano (URU) are attracting support on the international markets. Godolphin has another strong representation in the $350,000 Jebel Hatta (G1) at 1,800 meters on the grass. Real World (IRE), second behind Baaeed (GB) in two group 1 races in England last season for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, makes his first start of the year and first start as a gelding. William Buick gets the leg up from trainer Charlie Appleby on Master of The Seas (IRE), winner of the Zabeel Mile (G2) in his seasonal debut. James Doyle hops back on Valiant Prince (IRE), winner of the Al Rashidiya (G2) and Singspiel Stakes (G2) earlier in the Carnival for Appleby. There's another Hong Kong horse in the Jebel Hatta, which leads to the $5 million Dubai Turf (G1) at the same trip on March 25. The aforementioned Russian Emperor, a multiple group 1 winner at home, was impressive in rallying from the back of a big field to win the Amir Trophy in Doha with Godolphin's Warren Point (GB) chasing in second. The $250,000 Burj Nahaar (G3) is 1,600 meters (about one mile) on the dirt, a prep for the Godolphin Mile (G2) on World Cup night. It drew a full field with trainer Doug Watson fielding a talented trio in Everfast, Canvassed (IRE), and Fanaar (IRE). William Buick rides Royal Mews (FR) for trainer Bhupat Seemar. Tuz and Isolate look like horses prepping for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in three weeks time as the highest rated among 10 in the $250,000 Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on the dirt. Tuz, another trained by Seemar, and Isolate, another from the Watson yard, finished 1-2 in the Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) Feb. 3. The $250,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) at 1,200 meters has contenders from all around Europe. Miqyaas (GB) enters on a three-race winning streak including the Blue Point Sprint (G2) Feb. 10. The $300,000 Ras Al Khor at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) on the turf has a sea of blue silks. Shadwell has entered four and Godolphin has three. Buick rides Al Suhail (GB), the solid antepost favorite, and Doyle is up on Path of Thunder (IRE), both trained by Appleby. $170,000 Al Bastakiya for 3-year-olds looks like a wide-open affair at 1,900 meters on the main track. Slava Ukraini (DEN) comes from Denmark but carries silks matching the Ukraine flag. Go Soldier Go and Sharp Army are worthy of note.