Classic-winning jockey Tom Marquand has been called up for the ride on Deira Mile in next month’s Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.
The 26-year-old will partner the Owen Burrows-trained colt for the first time in public in the mile and a half Group One contest on Saturday, April 5.
Deira Mile has already enjoyed one trip abroad this year after making his annual comeback in last month’s Red Sea Turf Handicap at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. However, the Camelot colt could only finish sixth in the one mile seven furlong Group Two after proving too keen during the early stages of the race.
Lambourn handler Burrows expects to see the Green Team Racing-owned four-year-old in a much better light with that run under his belt dropped back in trip.
Burrows said: “He was just too fresh and keen in Saudi Arabia and he didn’t really see his race out. He is not a horse that is usually keen so whether or not the occasion under the floodlights got to him I don’t know.
“He pulled for well over a mile of that race so I thought he did well to still be there turning in with a chance. I think dropping back slightly to a mile and a half makes sense as the race will be more run to suit.
“It was no surprise to me that he weakened out of it, but he had a nice blow. Tom Marquand will ride him here and he came and he had a sit on him the other day. I’ve been pleased with him since Saudi Arabia and he took the race well. He will fly out to Dubai next weekend."
Although a career best will be required from Deira Mile to get his head in front stepped back up to the top table, Burrows believes a repeat of either of his fourth placed finishes in last year’s Derby or St Leger can see him finish in the money.
He added: “We are going to be up against some of the best middle-distance horses in the world here like Rebel’s Romance and Calandagan, but we are running for huge money so you expect the opposition to be strong.
“We could have gone for the Dubai Gold Cup, but if he was keen again I would be kicking myself and his owner was quite keen to go for the Sheema Classic.
“He likes being held up to come late, so we will see if we can do that and pick up a few pieces at the end. We know it will be tough, but if he could produce his Derby or St Leger form he could sneak into the prize money."
One horse that Burrows will not be able to call upon this season is multiple Group race winner Alflaila, who has been retired to stand at stud in New Zealand.
The son of Dark Angel won seven of his 19 career starts, picking up more than £550,000 in prize money in the process.
Burrows said: “He can’t ship until the beginning of May and Angus (Gold, racing manager to Shadwell Estates) said can you keep him for six weeks before he goes to New Zealand.
“He has won two Group Twos and two Group Threes, while he has also taken us out to Bahrain and Qatar where he picked up some good prize money.
“He was a solid horse as he was fourth in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes as well. Horses like him are hard to replace so he will leave a bit of a hole, but given what he has achieved we can’t quibble too much.
“He will have plenty of mares to go to so he will be given a proper chance to succeed at stud. He is a good looking horse that is athletic so I can’t see why he shouldn’t do well out there.”
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