International chit chat

[my miss storm cat]

I'll take Bonecrusher and King Jock, please.

http://www.emiratesracing.com/era/hit-sale.html


DIRC Sale starts tomorrow

The inaugural Dubai International Racing Carnival Sale, part of the revamped annual Emirates Racing Authority Horse in Training Sale, takes place tomorrow.

The Dubai Racing Club and Europe’s leading auction house Tattersalls have entered into a partnership that promises to add a new dimension to the Dubai International Racing Carnival.

Taking place at Nad Al Sheba, there are now 44 horses going under the hammer at the DIRCS, with the Robbie Osborne-trained King Jock and Doug Watson’s duo T-Bird and Arabian Prince additional entries.

King Jock, with a rating of 108, has been a great servant to Irish trainer Robbie Osborne and also a real favourite in the UAE.

The seven-year-old gelding has raced 20 times here, and succeeded four times, including twice at Listed level at Abu Dhabi and also at the 2005 and 2006 Carnival.

Outside of the UAE, the son of Ghazi has won four other times, including the Group 3 Desmond Stakes at The Curragh in 2006.

“This is the first Carnival sale, so we are feeling our way, and the quality of horses on offer will hopefully rise each year, but this looks to be a good platform to launch the sale, which should hopefully appeal to owners all over the world,” said Dubai Racing Club CEO Frank Gabriel Jr.

Brazilian Group 1 winners L’Amico Steve, Evil Knievel and Nepotista are others to look out for, as are the useful sprinter Machinist, Mariol, first past the post in a sprint handicap before being demoted earlier in the Carnival, and Happy Runner, a winner on the opening night of the Carnival.

There are 86 horses entered for the Emirates Racing Authority’s Horses in Training Sale on Wednesday.

The Dubai Racing Club announced last month that from this year, the annual Horses In Training Sale in Dubai will be moved forward and include a DIRC Session whereby horses that have competed at the Carnival can be put up for auction.

The Sale is held at Nad Al Sheba 5pm on Tuesday March 4 and at 3pm Wednesday March 5, preceding the Super Thursday meeting at Nad Al Sheba on March 6.