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| Staff Writer |
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Epic Poet will bid for Gr.2 Dubai Gold Cup glory following an excellent second in the Red Sea Turf Handicap at the Saudi Cup meeting, with trainer David O'Meara setting his sights on World Cup night.
The 6YO has been enjoying a productive winter campaign, having first made his mark at Meydan by holding off Charlie Appleby's King Of Conquest by a neck to land a valuable prize, before later finishing third on his subsequent appearance at the Dubai track.
His Saudi Arabia performance saw him pocket US$400,000 when finishing runner-up behind Japanese challenger Byzantine Dream in Riyadh, beaten just a length and a quarter after encountering traffic problems approaching the final furlong.
"It was a great run," said O'Meara. "There was just a brief moment on the home turn when the winner just got first run on him. He was just hemmed in a little bit but who knows, it was a brilliant run and great prize money all the same."
The handler confirmed: "He'll stay out in the Middle East and he'll run on World Cup night in the Dubai Gold Cup."
Epic Poet enjoyed a successful British campaign last season, finishing second in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot before claiming victory in the Old Borough Cup Handicap at Haydock – the highlight of his six-race summer schedule.
Having been on the go for an extended period, O'Meara is contemplating a well-deserved rest for his globetrotter following his Dubai assignment.
"I don't really know to be honest what we're going to do. He campaigned all last summer and then he's gone to the Middle East for the winter, so at some point we'll look at giving him a little break. I need to chat with the owner about what that break looks like and when we give it to him," the trainer added.