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| Staff Writer |
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Straight No Chaser proved himself the world's top dirt sprinter with his impressive 3¾-length victory in the Gr.2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia, and the Eclipse champion's Middle East adventure is only just beginning as he settles into his temporary quarters at Meydan Racecourse.
Trainer Dan Blacker, accompanying the 6YO son of Speightster to Dubai, is delighted with the condition of his charge following his Saudi triumph as they target the US$2 million Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night April 5.
"He just keeps surprising me," Blacker said. "He took the travel from (Los Angeles) to Saudi Arabia really well, all in stride. He ran his guts out on Saturday and then came out of the race great, shipped to Dubai. This morning, we were looking at him, he's barely dropped any weight at all. It's pretty remarkable. He's such a resilient horse."
That resilience has yielded five victories in his last six starts, his only blemish coming when returning from a year-long layoff. Having carried his best form overseas, MyRacehorse's star sprinter looks set to start a warm order on April 5.
Blacker believes the six-week gap between races will be perfect for his charge to deliver his best in the Golden Shaheen. Departing for his Santa Anita Park base on February 26, Blacker leaves the Eclipse champion in the capable hands of assistant Juan Landeros. Plans call for at least three recorded workouts ahead of the big race, with a potential fourth if deemed necessary.
"I've always just let the horses tell me when they're ready to work and ready to run," Blacker said. "The good thing about Meydan is it's a very similar setup to an American racetrack system. To come here and have an oval dirt surface where we can train every day is a big advantage. For a horse like this to come here and compete on the dirt, it makes him very competitive on a global level."
A graduate of Godolphin's Flying Start programme – a two-year management course aimed at shaping the future of the global Thoroughbred industry – victory in Dubai would be particularly meaningful for Blacker.
"I owe a lot to Sheikh Mohammed and the Godolphin Flying Start program, that's really how I got my career started. I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't had that opportunity," Blacker said. "To have a horse where I can travel to places like the Middle East and run, compete, and be one of the favorites in these big Grade One, multimillion dollar races is really one of the reasons why I started training. To live that and do it is a dream come true."