Dubai: Super Saturday & the Peloponnesian War

Strained historical parallel alert: the results of the March 7 "Super Saturday" card at Meydan generally called to mind the outcome of the Second Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). As my ancient history professor once pointed out, although Sparta defeated Athens in the end, the real winner was the Persian Empire.

So what does this have to do with Super Saturday's preps for Dubai World Cup night? Most of the prep winners -- with one or two exceptions -- look as unlikely to build upon their victories as Sparta. And the biggest beneficiaries could turn out to be the international raiders, "foreign powers" if you will, plotting their moves for March 28.

Defending Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner African Story improved markedly in his second attempt on the dirt to take the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1), but the Godolphin veteran still doesn't look as fluent on this surface as he did on the old Tapeta. The same goes for classy stablemate Prince Bishop, who was literally under a ride for a mile. Despite just missing again, Prince Bishop made perhaps even harder work of it than he did in Round 2 (UAE-G2).

Watch and judge for yourself, while listening to track announcer Terry Spargo's apt assessments of African Story: "He's being desperately ridden coming around the turn," and at the wire, he "hated every inch of the dirt but class told the tale."

 

Although African Story deserves great credit for fighting his way through it, this field is a far cry from the level of competition he'll face in the World Cup. The Saeed bin Suroor charge got away with it against handicappers and a stamina-challenged Frankyfourfingers, and only just from Prince Bishop.

Admittedly, I've underestimated African Story before, but I can't see how he can get away with it again and make history as the first two-time World Cup winner. Also, only three winners of the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 have doubled up in the World Cup -- Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) -- and I'd shrink from putting African Story in their company.

Another Godolphin winner on Super Saturday, Sky Hunter, is likewise running head-long into a daunting historical trend: the Dubai City of Gold (UAE-G2) has yet to produce a single winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).

On the plus side, Sky Hunter drew away by 1 3/4 lengths in his seasonal reappearance in the City of Gold. Any concerns about his readiness for the about 1 1/2-mile test, coming off a four-month holiday, were put to bed.

Runner-up Sheikhzayedroad, who was returning from a similar vacation, warrants special mention for a better-than-appears effort: slowly away and last early, the David Simcock charge advanced while parked out wide on the sweeping turn, joined Sky Hunter, and made the winner kick into another gear. Umgiyo stayed on for third, proving that my expectations were too optimistic, but hopefully he can resume his progress back in the nine to 10-furlong range.