The Tap 9th in Dubai World Cup

Premium Tap finished a disappointing 9th in the Dubai World Cup. Of course it was not completely unexpected as his connection did announce their doubts about the horse's fitness. There might have been a slight excuse as he almost clipped heels in the back straight when he started running, which threw him off stride. Whether his connection will decide to retire him or not remains to be seen, but it is certainly a possibility. I hope in my heart he will return to the US to stand at stud there, but he will most likely stay in Saudi Arabia.

Of course I have to take my hat off to Curlin. He ran the kind of race a short-priced favourite should. He certainly seems the best horse on dirt in the world right now. I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if Premium Tap had showed up with last year's form, but that is a mute point, isn't it?

It will be interesting to see where Curlin will go from here. In the meantime I am anxiously awaiting an announcement on Premium Tap's future. I love his bloodlines and he would be an asset at stud in the US.

Complete order of finish:
1. Curlin (USA)
2. Asiatic Boy (ARG)
3. Well Armed (USA)
4. A P Arrow (USA)
5. Great Hunter (USA)
6. Lucky Find (USA)
7. Jalil (USA)
8. Gloria De Campeao (BRZ)
9. Premium Tap (USA)
10. Sway Yed (KSA)
11. Kocab (GB)
12. Vermilion (JPN)

Video Replay


(Premium Tap (USA) - 2002 bay horse - Pleasant Tap x Premium Red, by Thirty Six Red)

The World Cup For Premium Tap

Premium Tap will take his rightful place in the line-up for the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday. For a while his contention was in doubt after a disappointing 4th place in Saudi Arabia's premier race on 15 February. His trainer was unhappy with the way the horse was working and he had some other problems. Though he just about won his follow-up start in a mile race on 7 March, he is still not quite back to the old Tap.

But Premium Tap will travel to Dubai to challenge 2007 american horse of the year Curlin and I will be cheering for him. Curlin is likely to be a short-priced favourite. He is looking a dream and has had a dream preparation for the big race. But there are others beside Premium Tap that will be challenging the 4yo Smart Strike colt.

The field looks like this (per DRF):

* DUBAI WORLD CUP-G1. Purse $6,000,000. 1 1/4m (dirt) 4yo+

Post time: 1:30 p.m. (EDT)

1 - Sway Yed - O Peslier - 126 - 100-1

2 - Well Armed - A T Gryder - 126 - 33-1

3 - Happy Boy - K McEvoy - 126 - 16-1

4 - Kocab - S Pasquier - 126 - 33-1

5 - Great Hunter - G K Gomez - 126 - 66-1

6 - Premium Tap - S Madrid - 126 - 14-1

7 - Vermilion - Y Take - 126 - 12-1

8 - Jalil - L Dettori - 126 - 7-1

9 - Asiatic Boy - J P Murtagh - 126 - 10-1

10 - Lucky Find - K Shea - 126 - 25-1

11 - Gloria de Campeao - C-P Lemaire - 126 - 33-1

12 - Curlin - R J Albarado - 126 - 2-5

13 - A.P. Arrow - R A Dominguez - 126 - 25-1

I wish I could say that Premium Tap will win, but his form is suspect at best and one has to wonder whether the level of competition he has been facing is enough to have fit and ready for a clash like this. But yet, I believe he has a lot of class and an enormous amount of talent and heart and if he would win I would be over the moon. However, Curlin is looking strong and there are other contenders, like Asiatic Boy, that cannot be underrated. I hope he will be able to equal or better his 2nd place in last year's race and that is what I am hoping for. He is definitely not without a chance and I will be cheering him on all the way!

Unfortunately I won't be around this weekend as I will be climbing a mountain in Wales, but I will be anxiously looking for the result as soon as I am back home on Sunday.

(Premium Tap (USA) - 2002 bay horse - Pleasant Tap x Premium Red, by Thirty Six Red)

Premium Tap Manages Only Fourth

I have to say I am slightly dissapointed in the fourth place finish of Allam (Premium Tap) in the The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G1), the biggest and most important race in Saudi Arabia's racing callendar. Kharimes (Joe Louis) won the 2400m race in 2:28.07, three quarters of a length in front of Shabel Almidaan, who beat Aloqhuwan (Omikron) by head back in third.

Yes the winning horse is quite accomplished, being an Argentinian G1 winner, but overall Premium Tap (Allam in Saudi Arabia) should have had the upper hand in this field. It is hard to determine exactly what happened or why he lost as the only information I have is the cold hard fact of the result. I sure hope he does not have a physical problem. Who knows, maybe he got boxed in, which is not impossible in a field of 18. I wish I knew. For now I will give him the definite benefit of doubt and expect him to be fit and ready to go for the Dubai World Cup, in which he is likely to face some big boys, including Curlin.

I love this horse and I hope he will bounce back to prove that he is a fantastic horse that is certainly capable of a top 3 in the Dubai World Cup, though I still want him to win it!

PS horses when racing in Saudi Arabia get different names, ie Premium Tap is Allam.

(Premium Tap - 2002 bay horse - Pleasant Tap x Premium Red, by Thirty Six Red)