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Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) alumnus New Trails is on the comeback trail, according to trainer Ahmad bin Harmash. Unraced since finishing 10th in said $12 million centrepiece, the sizable son of Medaglia d’Oro is pointing toward a return in The Entisar (Listed) on Dec. 5 at Meydan.
"He will run over the 2000m in (The Entisar) and is doing very well," Bin Harmash said. "Last year we started with him on the lower side and worked our way through handicaps and Listed races because we knew he was very talented, but still improving. He was a handicap horse last year and he raced and trained a lot until the big day.
"This year, we are taking a totally different approach, as he is already rated 109 and we can get started in the Listed race and not rush him," he explained. "From there, we will stay long with him, going to the (Group 2 $450,000) Al Maktoum Challenge) Round 2 (on Feb. 6) and then (Group 1 $600,000 Al Maktoum Challenge) Round 3 on Super Saturday (Mar. 7). I think he is a very good horse. We're going to see how much he has improved this year."
A winner on opening night of the Meydan season on Nov. 1 last year, the half-brother to G1 winner Tizaqueena went on to win a DWC Carnival handicap, while also placing in The Entisar behind Cosmo Charlie and Round 2 behind North America before finishing fourth in Round 3 behind Capezzano.
Owned by Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi, the bay 5-year-old gelding has a record of 3-3-0 from just nine starts. While he started six times last season, he had three prior in France with Andre Fabre under the Godolphin banner. Always a well-intended type, he won on debut over soft going at Saint-Cloud in Nov. 2016 before finishing second in the Prix Magister (Conditions) and sixth in the Prix des Orfevres (Conditions) over the same course.
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