Dubai report: Cumani collects

As Caulfield Cup placegetter Barbaricus slipped from second to ninth up the long straight at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai overnight, the storming last-to-first run of Presvis (B g 2004, Sakhee (USA)-Forest Fire (Swe), by Never So Bold (GB)) signalled that Luca Cumani has found another big-race stayer.

Whether Presvis has the Melbourne Cup as his target later this year is yet to be determined, but he has given the trainer another Sheema Classic (2400m in Dubai on March 28) contender alongside Cumani’s 2007 Melbourne Cup runner-up Purple Moon.

Purple Moon (Ch g 2003, Galileo (Ire)-Vanishing Prairie (USA), by Aly Sheba (USA)) was second to Efficient in the Cup – he didn’t run at Flemington last year, when Cumani’s Bauer was beaten a nose by Viewed, stepping out instead in the Japan Cup (ninth, Tokyo, November 30) and the Hong Vase (second, Sha Tin, December 14).

He went to Dubai from Hong Kong, with the Sheema Classic as his target and will run next Thursday as his warm-up race.

Hot favourite Presvis was impressive in his first start in Dubai two weeks ago – that race was 2000m, the same as the race overnight, the Meydan Gateway Towers Trophy.

Presvis drew gate 10 in a field of 10 in the Trophy, and English jockey Ryan Moore settled him at the tail. He ran through and past the field with ease up the 600m straight to win by a dominating 3-¼ lengths from the pacesetter, Yahrab.

Barbaricus raced third or fourth on the rails, but fought Irish rider Mick Kinane for his head for several hundred metres. He pushed through to be second in the straight and appeared to close a little on the leader before weakening to ninth, some 14 lengths off Presvis.

It was a disappointing result for Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien after Barbaricus’s promising third at his first start in Dubai two weeks earlier, and must put doubts on him making the Sheema Classic field – stablemate Master O’Reilly will go to Dubai for the Classic if he runs well in the Australian Cup (200m) at Flemington on March 7.

Another stablemate, Valedictum, won at Nad Al Sheba last week and will run again next Thursday.

The Italian-born Cumani, based at Newmarket in England, is represented in Dubai by his daughter Francesca, who came to Melbourne with the stable horses for the past two spring carnivals. She has a team of five at Nad Al Sheba, including German stayer Waldvogel, beaten about four lengths when sixth over 2400m last week.

Another former Melbourne Cup visitor, South African Mike De Kock (he had Greys Inn run unplaced in the 2005 Cup), makes plundering Dubai riches a habit, and he had two wins overnight – Archipenko (B h 2004, Kingmambo (USA)-Bound (USA), by Nijinsky (Can)), who won the Queen Elizabeth 2 Cup in Hong Kong last April and is headed there again this year, beat a strong field in the Zabeel Mile on turf; and JJ The Jet Plane (B g 2004, Jet Master (S. Af)-Majestic Guest (S. Af), by Northern Guest (USA)) won the 1200m sprint on dirt. Irishman Kevin Shea rode both.

Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had his usual share of collects, too, with Godolphin winning two races: the UAE Oaks (1800m, dirt) with Devotee (Ch f 2006, Elusive Quality (USA)-Danuta (USA), by Sunday Silence (USA)); and the Dubai Racing Gold Cup, the first-ever 3200m turf race in Dubai, with Veracity (Ch h 2004, Lomitas (GB)-Vituisa (GB), by Bering (GB)). Frankie Dettori rode both.

Footnote: an omen, perhaps – Presvis ran second to Australia Day, over 2000m at Sandown in England last July after missing the start by eight lengths. He was beaten just under three. The gelding has won four of nine, all at 2000m.