Gloria Victis, runaway winner of Saturday's Racing Post Chase, heads the weights on 12 stone (with automatic top weight Pain Royal) for the William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase although trainer Martin Pipe has indicated that he is more likely to run in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup or Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
Majadou and Sir Talbot, successful respectively in the Mildmay Of Flete Chase and Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle last year, will each have to shoulder top weight of 12 stone if defending their titles at this year's Festival.
The top weights are as follows:
WILLIAM HILL NATIONAL HUNT HANDICAP CHASE 12-00 Gloria Victis, *Pain Royal
FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE 12-00 Beau, Edmond, *Carlus Major, *Extra Jack
LADBROKES CASINOS FINAL 12-00 Moorish
CORAL CUP 12-00 Moorish
MILDMAY OF FLETE CHASE 12-00 Majadou
GRAND ANNUAL CHASE 12-00 Flagship Uberalles, *Echo Des Mottes, *Pickland
VINCENT O'BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE 12-00 Sir Talbot, Nomadic
*automatic top weight
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, said today: "This year's seven handicaps look particularly competitive and should prove thrilling spectacles.
"We remind trainers that entries must be made by today, Wednesday, March 1, for the four races that have yet to close at the Festival - the NATIONAL HUNT CHASE CHALLENGE CUP, WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER, CHRISTIE'S FOXHUNTER CHASE and CATHCART CHALLENGE CUP CHASE."
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A team of some 30 two-year-olds has been assembled and is in Dubai at the moment, under Harty's supervision. The two-year-olds will travel to Santa Anita in the second half of April, at about the same time as other Godolphin horses leave for Europe.
California was chosen for a number of reasons. Two-year-old in California is both top-class and competitive and Godolphin wants to race its two-year-olds in the best company so as to be able to gauge their potentail merit.
Harty, in his former role as assistant trainer to Bob Baffert and before that, spent much of his time in California and knows the racing scene there well.
Also, the climate is excellent and complements the weather in Dubai.
Simon Crisford, the Godolphin Racing Manager, said on March 1: "For all these factors, we feel that California is the right place for Godolphin's American training base and we look forward to competing in two-year-old races in California and throughout North America."
At the end of their two-year-old careers, selected American-based horses will return to Dubai for the winter, slotting into the main Godolphin operation run by trainer Saeed bin Suroor, with the intention of being prepared for the top American three-year-old races.
Godolphin has had 55 Group or Grade One successes to date, 18 of them achieved in 1999. Besides, its main location in Dubai, Godolphin also has training bases in Britain and France.
The decision to have an American training base, as well as Harty's appointment, was announced on December 8, 1999.
Behrens was winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap for the second successive
year and his trainer, H James Bond, confirmed immediately after the race
that Behrens would ship to Dubai to run in the US$6million Group I Dubai
World Cup, sponsored by Emirates, at Nad Al Sheba on March 25.
This will be Behrensı second attempt on the Dubai World Cup, the horse
finishing fifth to Silver Charm in 1998.
"Behrens has matured into a truly top class racehorse and his confirmed
presence in the Dubai World Cup is very good news," said Racing Secretary to
the Dubai World Cup, Mr Kevin Greely.
"His performance to win the Gulfstream Park by five lengths is one of
obvious class and he is obviously in peak form for his Dubai trip."
On the other side of the world, SKOOZI PLEASE, rounded off his preparation
for the US$2million Group III Dubai Duty Free in fine style by winning the
Group II Carlyon Cup at Caulfield last Saturday.
Skoozi Please, trained by Graeme Rogerson, is now owned by Sheikh Ahmed bin
Rashid Al Mualla and the Carlyon Cup was the first event where the horse
carried his red and white colours.
Champion Australian jockey Jim Cassidy has confirmed his intentions to ride
Skoozi Please in the Dubai Duty Free and it is likely he will also team up
with the sprinter DANTELAH in the Listed Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by
Gulf News.
The champion Saudi Arabian filly MA TAHAAB remains on course to be the first
Dubai World Cup entrant from the Kingdom after her second in last Fridayıs
Prince Abdul Aziz Cup in Riyadh.
Trainer Joe Hennessy also hopes to run MARKHAN in the US$500,000 UAE Derby
(Prestige) and has entered the Grade I Chilean winner SIDON for the
US$250,000 Listed Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Jebel Ali Hotel & Golf
Resort.
The countdown to the Dubai World Cup continues this week at Nad Al Sheba
with the third and final round of the Maktoum Challenge and the 2000
reappearance of DUBAI MILLENNIUM and LEAR SPEAR.