Mike De Kock is seeking a fourth consecutive victory in the 1800m Al Rashidiya, one of two Group Two turf features at Meydan Racecourse’s fourth meeting of the 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival on Thursday evening, and is set to saddle three of the seven runners this year.

These include Mujaarib, something of a surprise winner in the race a year ago for HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The owner’s retained jockey, Paul Hanagan, takes the ride this time with Christophe Soumillon having performed the steering last year.

This year Soumillon rides Vercingetorix, winner of last year’s Group 1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday before finishing an excellent second in the $5 million Group 1 Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night.

That was his first career defeat on his seventh outing before he was subsequently third in the Group 1 Audemars Piquet QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

That was back in April and he has been off since, while Mujaarib has not run since Super Saturday in early March 2014.

De Kock’s third runner, Sanshaawes, the mount of Dane O’Neill, was second to Mushreq in the race last year, but has the benefit of a run already this season.

“Obviously Sanshaawes is likely to have a fitness edge,” said De Kock. “He ran well on the first night and has been in good form since. He had a good Carnival last year and hopefully he can win a race this time.

“We have said many times Vercingetorix is a lazy work horse and nothing has changed. He has a touch of class and hopefully we will see that again on Thursday. You cannot get excited with his work but it was the same last year and he won well first time.

“The same applies to Mujaarib who showed little in the mornings last year before surprising us in this race. Hopefully he will go well as he certainly seems to run his best when fresh.

“It is nice to have three genuine chances in such a big race.”
As well as winning the last three renewals, the South African has also won it on a further three occasions where as Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor is seeking a fifth win in the race.

He relies on True Story, the mount of James Doyle who was a winner of the Listed Singspiel Stakes over the same course and distance three weeks ago.

“He won well and we were very pleased with him,” said the trainer. “He is a horse we have always really liked and he has been working well since. Obviously it is a step up in class but we expect a big run from him.”

The 1600m Group 2 Cape Verdi, restricted to fillies and mares, has attracted a field of eight with all bar two trained in Europe. It looks wide open with Zurigha, a first UAE runner for Richard Hannon Jnr. when well beaten last week, looking to hold a major chance under Richard Hughes.

Wee Jean, trained by Mick Channon and to be ridden by Hanagan looks a big danger, as does Anahita. The mount of Mickael Barzalona, she is trained by Salem bin Ghadayer who celebrated his first winner as a trainer last Thursday.