Fabulous One will be chasing a berth for Dubai World Cup night when he lines up at Meydan on Saturday night at the annual Super Saturday meeting.
Meydan's Super Saturday card is the traditional local lead-up for the big dance, the Dubai World Cup meeting on 25 March, and for the second consecutive year, Hong Kong has representation at the prelude. Chris So's Fabulous One will return to the turf in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (1200m).
Trelawney Stud graduate Fabulous One made his UAE debut in a 1200m dirt handicap on 11 February where he weakened out to finish ninth, beaten almost 14 lengths.
After that effort, So admitted disappointment with Fabulous One but believes there were genuine excuses for the sub-par run.
"He wasn't himself that day," So said from Sha Tin on Wednesday morning (1 March). "He got worked up, and while that isn't that unusual, he didn't want to go into the gates. After that, he didn't show the speed I know he has and then he didn't corner well, with Oisin (Murphy) saying that he maybe doesn't go as well left-handed. It's a shame but at least we have a chance to run this weekend."
So was eagerly awaiting news of Fabulous One's gallop from his staff on the ground in Dubai and reported a happy camp after the Elusive City gelding posted his final major gallop on the Meydan dirt. The five-year-old looked strong in the concluding stages of his hitout, having set off from the 1600m mark with fellow Hong Kong representative Dundonnell before stepping up his workrate in the final 800m.
"He's really well, I'm told," So said. "They were happy with the gallop, and it was just to top him off after he galloped last Saturday. He looks like he has taken improvement from the run and coming back to the straight track on the turf should help him. I will fly out after Sha Tin tonight and stay until Monday."
Murphy, who partnered the gelding into a fourth at Sha Tin before his Middle East sojourn, will once again partner the bay, who will jump from stall five in the field of 16. -HKJC
Meydan's Super Saturday card is the traditional local lead-up for the big dance, the Dubai World Cup meeting on 25 March, and for the second consecutive year, Hong Kong has representation at the prelude. Chris So's Fabulous One will return to the turf in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (1200m).
Trelawney Stud graduate Fabulous One made his UAE debut in a 1200m dirt handicap on 11 February where he weakened out to finish ninth, beaten almost 14 lengths.
After that effort, So admitted disappointment with Fabulous One but believes there were genuine excuses for the sub-par run.
"He wasn't himself that day," So said from Sha Tin on Wednesday morning (1 March). "He got worked up, and while that isn't that unusual, he didn't want to go into the gates. After that, he didn't show the speed I know he has and then he didn't corner well, with Oisin (Murphy) saying that he maybe doesn't go as well left-handed. It's a shame but at least we have a chance to run this weekend."
So was eagerly awaiting news of Fabulous One's gallop from his staff on the ground in Dubai and reported a happy camp after the Elusive City gelding posted his final major gallop on the Meydan dirt. The five-year-old looked strong in the concluding stages of his hitout, having set off from the 1600m mark with fellow Hong Kong representative Dundonnell before stepping up his workrate in the final 800m.
"He's really well, I'm told," So said. "They were happy with the gallop, and it was just to top him off after he galloped last Saturday. He looks like he has taken improvement from the run and coming back to the straight track on the turf should help him. I will fly out after Sha Tin tonight and stay until Monday."
Murphy, who partnered the gelding into a fourth at Sha Tin before his Middle East sojourn, will once again partner the bay, who will jump from stall five in the field of 16. -HKJC