Field of Ten Set for Dubai City of Gold

Pascal Bary’s Interaction headlines a field of ten that will head to the post for the $250,000 Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-IIT) at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 3. The 12-furlong contest is the first of two turf stakes that will be held on the Super Thursday program.

In his first start this season, Interaction was a good third to Bold Silvano in the Al Maktoum Challenge R2 Sponsored by Etisalat (UAE-III). The son of Easing Along was a three-time group I winner in his native Argentina, capturing the Clasico Carlos Pelligrini (Arg-IT), Gran Premio Clasico Jockey Club (Arg-IT), and Raul Y Raul E Chevalier (Arg-IT). As a result of that success, Interaction was voted Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old colt, champion grass horse, and champion stayer in 2010 in Argentina.

Christophe Lemaire will be in the saddle.

Godolphin and trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni send out a trio of contenders in Calvados Blues, Monterosso, and Simon de Montfort. Previously trained by Mark Johnston, Monterosso will be making his seasonal debut in the Dubai City of Gold. As a 3-year-old last year, the son of Dubawi won the King Edward VII Stakes (Eng-II) and was a close fourth in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I). Mickael Barzalona will have the mount.

Frankie Dettori will partner with Calvados Blues, a 5-year-old horse by Lando. A group winner at ages 2 and 3, Calvados Blues enters this race off of an impressive win in a 13-furlong turf handicap two weeks ago.

The most intriguing member of the Godolphin team is Simon de Montfort, a 4-year-old colt by King's Best. A winner of five of six lifetime starts, Simon de Montfort enters off of a victory in a ten furlong turf handicap in January. Last year while in the care of Andre Fabre, the bay colt captured the Prix La Force (Fr-III); his only off-the-board showing was as a 2-year-old in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Fr-I), where he finished eighth. Ahmed Ajtebi will ride.

Other contenders in the field include the Freddy Head-trained Marinous, winner of the Grand Prix de Deauville (Fr-II) last year over Redwood, and Francois Doumen’s hard-knocking Kasbah Bliss, third in the 2010 Qatar Prix Du Cadran (Fr-I).

$250,000 Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Emirates Airline (gr. II, race 6, 12:30 p.m. EST), 3yo (SH-bred) and up, 12 furlongs, turf.
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Trainer
1. Tam Lin (GB), 126, X. Ziani, M. bin Shafya
2. Interaction (Arg), 126, C.P. Lemaire, P. Bary
3. Calvados Blues (Fr), 126, L. Dettori, M. Al Zarooni
4. Mr. Brock (SAf), 126, K. Shea, M. de Kock
5. Kasbah Bliss (Fr), 126, G. Mosse, F. Doumen
6. Yirga (GB), 126, R. Ffrench, A. Al Raihe
7. Monterosso (GB), 123, M. Barzalona, M. Al Zarooni
8. Marinous (Fr), 126, K. Fallon, F. Head
9. Topclas (Fr), 126, P. Cosgrave, M. bin Shafya
10. Simon de Montfort (Ire), 123, A. Ajtebi, M. Al Zarooni