Rebel’s Romance returns: Preview of Feb. 28 Super Saturday at Meydan

The Dubai Racing Club previews the Super Saturday card at Meydan, with a first post of 8:30 a.m. ET.

Rebel’s Romance and Tuz are just two of the equine superstars heading to Emirates Super Saturday – the official day of trial races ahead of the Dubai World Cup (G1) meeting in a month.

As a nine-time Group 1 winner, Rebel’s Romance rightly deserves top billing on the nine-race card. He faces seven rivals in the Dubai City of Gold (G2), which offers automatic entry to the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) to the winner.

Rebel’s Romance won the Sheema Classic in 2024 and arrives here after finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) in November.

“Rebel’s Romance returns to Dubai in great shape,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “He is eight now, but you couldn’t knock his performances last season, and he appears to have retained all his enthusiasm throughout the winter. I’m hoping that he can show us once again what he can do, and everyone can appreciate what a great racehorse he is.”

One of Rebel’s Romance’s opponents is rising star Fort George, who steps up to this 2410-meter distance after winning the Dubai Millennium (G3) over 2000 meters a month ago.

“It was a straightforward decision to go for the City of Gold,” said trainer Ed Walker. “Obviously, Rebel’s Romance is going to be a problem, but if you take him out, it looks pretty open – there’s probably more depth in the Singspiel (two races earlier on Super Saturday).

“We thought not to run scared of one horse, and we’re very happy with Fort George. Kieran (Shoemark, jockey) has been riding him in his work; his weight is good, and everything has gone well since his win last time.”

Heart Of Honor Battles for Dubai World Cup Spot

The featured Al Maktoum Classic (G2) offers automatic Dubai World Cup qualification for the winner. Ten vie for the spot, with three top-rated on 111.

Heart Of Honor has drawn post 1 for Jamie Osborne and jockey daughter, Saffie, and arrives here after finishing third to Imperial Emperor in the Maktoum Challenge (G1) in January.

“It’s a fascinating contest for sure,” said the Group 1-winning trainer. “Almost certainly a pivotal race for us. I believe he marginally underperformed last time, and I’m looking forward to seeing a sharper effort from him this week.

“Stall 1, to a degree, restricts Saffie’s options, but she’s proving quite adept at improvising. On all known evidence, the return to 2000 meters can only be in our favor. We are realistically hopeful.”

Imperial Emperor sits this one out, but his trainer, Bhupat Seemar, runs three: Mendelssohn Bay, Killer Collect, and Walk Of Stars. Mendelssohn Bay steps back up in trip after winning the Firebreak (G3) last time and has drawn 9.

“We’re very excited to have a runner on Super Saturday and a chance to qualify for the big day,” said Paul Ebbs, Managing Owner. “Fingers crossed from the wide draw.”

Killer Collect returns quickly after winning the Listed Jebel Ali S. on Feb.15, but jockey Tadhg O’Shea isn’t overly concerned about the turnaround time.

“It’s a quick back-up, but he’s had a light campaign,” he said. “He’s stepped out of his Jebel Ali Stakes win well but has a bit to improve on the book. He’s a horse I’ve always held in high regard, but little things haven’t gone his way.”

The Singspiel (G2) [sponsored by Emirates Airline] offers qualification to the Dubai Turf (G1) for the winner, and the Johnny Murtagh-trained Alakazi is among the field of eight. The four-year-old, owned by Aga Khan Studs, was last seen finishing third in the Queen Elizabeth II (G1) at Ascot in October.

“Alakazi has travelled over well and has put on seven kilos since he landed,” said the Ireland-based trainer. “I think he’ll need his first run. The plan was always to run Super Saturday, and then he’ll have a month there before the World Cup (meeting), so whatever he does this week, he will improve.

“It looks the perfect race for him, and we’re really looking forward to seeing him for the first time over nine furlongs, so we should learn a lot.”

Alakazi has drawn 5, one place inside Tumbler, who makes his third local start, having run third in the Al Fahidi Fort (G2), before having excuses at Abu Dhabi last time.

“I think he is a really, really good horse, but he is a left-handed horse, so Abu Dhabi wasn’t the best track for him,” said Marine Henry, wife and assistant to trainer Nicolas Caullery. “He can be a bit keen, but I think the 1800 meters will suit him better here than in France because the pace is going to be regular.”

Tremendous Tuz Returns

Tuz became the first horse to win all the domestic Group sprints last year, before a valiant third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) – a race he won in 2024.

This time around trainer Seemar has given him a lighter campaign, beginning with Saturday’s Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) [sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo], which he also won 12 months ago. He will be ridden as usual by O’Shea, who has been onboard for six of his 10 career wins.

“Tuz is great, I’m happier more than anyone to have him back,” said the jockey. “He’s like a catapult at the moment – he’s ready to go and is going around the track like a two-year-old. It’s just shy of 11 months since his last race, and he’s a big boy, so there will be improvement to come.

“It’s a very good race, but I wouldn’t swap him as he’s a legend around here.”  

Tuz has nine to beat, including two from his own stable. Both World Record and Mufasa are owned by RRR Racing, which also runs Cats By Five, trained by Doug Watson.

Grade 1-placed World Record is a newcomer to Dubai, having been purchased out of the Rodolphe Brisset stable in the U.S.

“He’s a very nice horse, he’s a Group 2 winner who has recently come over here,” said Muammer Ameen, Racing Manager for RRR Racing. “He’s acclimated really well and shows us some nice speed in his gallops. He’ll need the run, but he will improve tons after the race.

“He has a difficult task against the best sprinter in the world, Tuz, but I think he’s going to give him a race.”

Mufasa is yet to win in four local starts and finished fourth, two spots behind the reopposing El Nasseeb, in the Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) last month.

“We have Ryan Moore on Mufasa, and he has watched all his races,” said Ameen. “He has loads of ability, he accelerates well from the gate and has a nice turn of foot. He doesn’t like the rail or the kickback, so you have to be sensitive with him.”

Cats By Five comes here in search of a hat trick, and Ameen is confident he, too, will show up here.

“Cats By Five won his first handicap and was impressive the second time, winning by 4 1/2 lengths,” he said. “If he jumps in the first four and stays there until the bend, he’ll be very competitive.”

The Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) [sponsored by Emirates Courier Express], race three, looks very competitive, and 16 go over the straight 1200 meters.

They include Monteille and Rayevka, two newcomers from France, as well as two trained by UK handler Richard Spencer, Two Tribes and Run Boy Run. Both have already won this Carnival, and it's hard to choose between them.

“Run Boy Run and Two Tribes are in good order,” said Spencer. “I suppose on ratings, Two Tribes slightly edges Run Boy Run, and Oisin Murphy is going to ride Two Tribes this week.

“Run Boy Run has taken a step forward each run, and he thrives on racing, while Two Tribes came out of his last run very well and worked extremely well last week.”

Godolphin Mile Spot up for Grabs in Burj Nahaar

A spot in the Godolphin Mile (G2) is among the rewards for the winner of the Burj Nahaar (G3) [sponsored by Emirates Airline], race eight.

At 111, Seemar’s Commissioner King is the highest rated in the 11-strong field. The 2023 Saudi Derby (G3) winner finished second to Mendelssohn Bay in the Firebreak S. last time. He will be ridden by O’Shea, who is confident of another big run.

“Commissioner King is probably the biggest horse we have in the barn,” he said. “He’s a bit like Tuz – he likes to jump and get on with things. I won’t be upsetting him, and hopefully he’s going to give a very good account.”

Commissioner King is rated three pounds higher than Group 1 winner King Gold, who makes his second start of the season for the Caullery team, having finished fifth in the Al Maktoum Mile (G2) in December.

“You need to forget about that run as the track wasn’t to his fancy,” said Marine Henry, who rides the horse each day. “He’s nine now, so you’ve got to consider that, but he’s a happy horse. He did a piece of work last time which was amazing.

“Having him run is exciting and stressful at the same time, as he’s given us so much and he’s a superstar.”

Classic Hopefuls Grace the Turf

The Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas [sponsored by Emirates Holidays], race nine, last year produced subsequent 2000 Guineas (G1) winner Ruling Court. This year, the 1600-meter contest has a field of nine, with impressive Kempton debut winner Talk Of New York one of three runners for Charlie Appleby, who also sends out Pacifica Pier and Pacific Avenue.

“There has been plenty of chat about Talk Of New York following his maiden win, and we feel he is a nice horse in the making,” said Appleby. “He is the least experienced horse in the field, and this will be another step in his education, as well as hopefully giving us a guide on what sort of horse we are dealing with when he heads back to Europe. He had a spin around Meydan, just to get used to the place, and we were very pleased with what we saw.

“Pacific Avenue didn’t really get the rub of the green on his latest start in the Al Rayyan Mile, but it was still a solid performance, and he came out of the race well. He doesn’t look out of place in this field. We are putting some cheekpieces on Pacifica Pier to hopefully rekindle some of his better form.”

The Jumeirah 1000 Guineas is a rematch between the Mawj Stakes first and second, Taifuu and Fairy Oak, with six others also declared.

“It looks like pretty much the same field as last time,” said Taifuu’s trainer Soren Jensen, who has just 15 horses at his base in Denmark. “A mile should suit her better than the seven furlongs, so I have to be optimistic.

“Rebecca (Gray, exercise rider) says she has improved, so I believe that.”

The action gets underway with a loaded edition of the Maktoum Challenge R3 (G1) for Purebred Arabians [sponsored by Arabian Adventures]. Mubeed, winner of this race 12 months ago, takes on 13 rivals, including recent 10-length handicap winner Uptown Walk The Line.