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| Staff Writer |
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Deira Mile, trained by Owen Burrows, is being aimed at the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia following a fruitful 3YO campaign that saw him compete at the highest level.
The Camelot colt demonstrated his class with fourth place finishes in both the Gr.1 Derby and Gr.1 St Leger last season. Between those Classic assignments, he was narrowly denied in the Listed August Stakes at Windsor, finishing a neck behind Sea Of Roses
The 4YO is being prepared for the US$2.5m Red Sea Turf Handicap at the Saudi Cup meeting on February 22. His connections are eyeing further international targets, with entries in both the Gr.1 Dubai Gold Cup and Gr.1 Sheema Classic.
"We're really happy with him," said Burrows. "It should be interesting, he's done very well for his break after the Leger and he's a bigger, stronger horse this year.
"It is huge money and his owner was keen to have a go a while back when we were discussing it – the horse is certainly very well.
"At the minute it only looks like there'll be about or dozen or so horses in it, I think on his Leger and Derby form he'd have a real chance.
"I did actually put him in the Dubai Gold Cup and he's in the Sheema Classic as well, we don't really see him as a Cup horse back here and I don't think I'd be going to Ascot with him. We'll see how he performs and we'll take one race at a time."
The Saudi raid could provide an early season highlight for the Burrows yard, which typically experiences a quiet spell before the turf season commences.
"I'd have very little going on at this time of year normally, we did have a winner at the beginning of February but we only had two running through the winter," said Burrows.
"If we could pinch a bit of decent prize-money, that would set us up very nicely for the start of the season."