Pride Of Dubai has made the first public appearance of his autumn campaign with a comfortable victory in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning.
Pride Of Dubai upstaged a strong field to take out a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
Pride Of Dubai contested the opening barrier trial of the morning over 830 metres and he jumped out of the gates quickly before taking up a forward position four horses wide.
The son of Street Cry was never asked for an extra effort, but he was still able to defeat the star-studded barrier trial field that included the likes of Boban, Cannyescent, Press Statement and Vanbrugh.
Pride Of Dubai has not been seen at the races since he took out the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 last year and co-trainer Paul Snowden told Racing Ahead that the Blue Diamond Stakes winner definitely needed the hit-out.
“He definitely needed it and I would daresay he will have another one,” Snowden said.
“He was never going to get pushed out at all and it is mainly just a fitness thing, but he jumped well and travelled quite strongly throughout the trial.
“He is very fresh in himself, he won the trial, but he was still and truly well within himself.
“He broke out in a sweat before he went around and he got rid of some of that nervous energy that he needed to get rid off because he hasn’t been at the races for a very long time.
“It is just good to have him back.”
The Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) was originally set to be the first-up target for Pride Of Dubai, but Snowden believes that the race may come around too quickly for the three-year-old.
Pride Of Dubai is considered one of the most exciting stallions prospects in Australia and Snowden said that they need to make sure that the colt is ready to fire before he makes his return to the races.
“He will have another trial in about ten days’ time and we will assess how his fitness levels are before we go to the races again,” Snowden said.
“He has had a long lay-off and a horse of his ability is going to race at a high level.
“We need to have him pretty well up to the mark and ready to go.”
Pride Of Dubai has only had four race starts, but he has already recorded two wins at Group 1 level and accumulated over $1 million in prizemoney for connections.
