age of UAE Derby runners

[sbcaris]

Were there any four year olds in the UAE Derby won by Mubtaahij? How about the race called the Al Bastakiya which was also won by Mubtaahij --were there any four year olds in that one?

[upthecreek]

The UAE Derby is a Group 2 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates for three-year-old thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,900 metres (approximately 9.5 furlongs) on the Tapeta at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. It takes place annually during the Dubai World Cup Night on the last Saturday in March

[horses4courses]

Were there any four year olds in the UAE Derby won by Mubtaahij? How about the race called the Al Bastakiya which was also won by Mubtaahij --were there any four year olds in that one?

What makes you ask the question?

I know in UK/Ireland they would never race 3 year olds
against older horses this early in the year.

Can't be sure about Dubai, but I very much doubt it.
The UAE Derby, to my knowledge, is 3yo only.

[sbcaris]

The reason I ask is because Sir Fever who ran second to Mubtaahij is a Southern Hemisphere 3 year old but carried more weight than Mubtaahij (10 pounds more). Is a southern hemisphere 3 year old the same as a northern hemisphere 3 year old?

Also, Mubtaahij beat older horses when breaking his maiden on Dec 31st in the EGA Billet Trophy race at a mile.

[Some_One]

Southern Hemisphere 4 yr olds are considered 3 yr olds for the UAE Derby, ineligible to run in the DWC. They would have about 6 extra months of development versus their Northern Hemisphere counterparts hence the extra weight.

[BlueChip@DRF]

All entries in both races were 3YOs.

[sbcaris]

They were not truly 3 year olds. Sir Fever was born in 2011 and so too was Ajwad who ran second and third behind Mubtaahij in the Al Bastakiya stakes. So, even though they called them 3 year olds some of the entries had an age advantage and like Some One said above that is why they were assigned different weights.

[Stoleitbreezing]

Sir Fever was indeed a South Hemisphere 4 YO. I remember them mentioning it during the broadcast.

[Some_One]

Sir Fever was indeed a South Hemisphere 4 YO. I remember them mentioning it during the broadcast.

Foal date July 30th 2011 per Godolphin.com

[OTM Al]

Sir Fever was indeed a South Hemisphere 4 YO. I remember them mentioning it during the broadcast.

I believe he was the only one this year as that is something I always make note of for this race.

[reckless]

I am not sure if it was on the Bonski Clan or the Meydan Racing You Tube channels but there were a few interviews where trainer Michael de Kock makes mention of Mubtaahij beating older/southern hemisphere horses.

I am confessing that I am quickly becoming a Mubtaahij and a de Kock fan by the minute.

The horse is a legit threat IMO and this trainer seems like the real deal, unlike most of our stilted, somewhat scared and cautious leading trainers we have in the USA.

[sbcaris]

Mubtaahij was an April foal in 2012 and Sir Fever was a July foal in 2011. This makes Sir Fever at least 8 months older than Mubtaahij. The way 3 year olds develop 8 months is a BIG advantage. Furthermore, Mubtaahij beat older horses in his maiden win on Dec 31st last year and beat a few older horses in his win on March 7th in the Al Bastakiya stakes.

[horses4courses]

The reason I ask is because Sir Fever who ran second to Mubtaahij is a Southern Hemisphere 3 year old but carried more weight than Mubtaahij (10 pounds more). Is a southern hemisphere 3 year old the same as a northern hemisphere 3 year old?

Also, Mubtaahij beat older horses when breaking his maiden on Dec 31st in the EGA Billet Trophy race at a mile.

I hadn't factored in the southern hemisphere thing.
Makes sense now.

[horses4courses]

This would take the southern hemisphere differential to another plane.
Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse has plans to ship her currently
unraced 2yo Cyrus Rocks to Royal Ascot to race against 3yos .

Among those 3yos could be last year's Euro champion 2yo, Hootenanny ,
winner of the BC Juvenile Turf last year.
Recent winner of his 2015 debut at Keeneland, Hootenanny is trained by Wesley Ward.
To my knowledge, Ms. Waterhouse, one of the leading trainers down under, has never shipped to the UK before.

Cyrus Rocks must be worth watching on April 29th for his racecourse debut in Oz.
That will be April 28th over here.

http://www.racing.com/news/2015-04-21/ambitious-ascot-aim-for-unraced-gai-colt