Richard Fahey on Spirit Dancer in Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan

By Richard Fahey

Horse Racing

Sat March 30, 2024 · 9M ago

Our star Flat columnist Richard Fahey is back to discuss Spirit Dancer's Meydan chance in Saturday's Sheema Classic.

SPIRIT DANCER – 4.00 Meydan (Saturday)

Spirit Dancer is our big hope in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Saturday and he’s in great form.

He’s been lucky because he’s been out in Dubai since the Jebel Hatta in January, going over to Riyadh and back from here when he won the Howden Neom Turf Cup, so there’s no need to worry about acclimatisation.

He’s had a fantastic prep and he’s a lot more forward in himself in his demeanour compared to when he was last in England. Everything has gone well, we’ve had no issues. He took the Saudi race very well, he’s had a gallop since and the lads are very pleased with him.

It’s a step up in trip and a step up in class, but he’s won over the extended mile and a quarter twice and the best part of his races have been the last bit, he’s been finishing off really well.

You’d imagine the trip won’t be a problem, but the step up in class might be. It is probably the most competitive race I have been involved in since I’ve been training on ratings.

I was always confident he would go very well in the Bahrain race, the Group 2 International Trophy he won back in November, but that was a competitive race in itself and he did it very nicely.

Spirit Dancer wins in Bahrain

I can draw a line through the Jebel Hatta, where he was fourth, as he’d had a break and I was very keen to get him into Dubai to acclimatise him for both the Saudi race and this race. It’s been a fact finding mission all along and what he’s done has proven it has been the right decision for him.

It will be interesting, but if he doesn’t win it doesn’t mean the project has failed. I’m hoping he’s at his peak and a few of his rivals, on their first runs of the year, might not run to their ratings, in which scenario he’d have a nice each-way chance.

There won’t be any excuses, but I hope for a bit of help and a bit of luck. He’s in tip-top shape.

I think after the race he’ll have a good holiday when he comes back, he’s earned it. With him being a gelding we don’t really have to prove anything at home, so I imagine he’ll have some time off and come back out to the Middle East at the backend of the year again. Plans can change, but that’s what I’m thinking at the moment.

But let’s just enjoy the Sheema Classic first. It’s an exceptional race and it’s great to be involved in it.

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