A trio of Aussies and Singapore’s horse of the year will on Saturday combine to take on the world in the USD$6 million Dubai Turf (1800m) – one of six Group 1s on offer at the star-studded Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan.
The Cliff Brown-trained Debt Collector will be ridden by Michael Rodd, for owner Glenn Whittenbury.
A son of Thorn Park from the stakes-placed mare Prompt Payment (In The Wings), Debt Collector was bred by New Zealand’s Windsor Park Stud.
He was knocked down to leading bloodstock agent Michael Wallace for $30,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, before being offered by Prima Park at the Ready To Run Sale.
That’s where Brown stepped in, securing Debt Collector for $120,000.
The four-year-old faces stiff opposition in the Dubai Turf – a race won in 2005 by Australian star Elvstroem (trained by Tony Vasil, ridden by Nash Rawiller) – and is rated a $21 hope (although he’s double that quote with various overseas bookmakers).
Debt Collector, a winner of eight of his 12 starts, failed last time out at Kranji when a short-priced favourite, however, there were excuses.
“He pulled up with a respiratory problem, he didn’t scope real good after the race,” Rodd told G1X.com.au from Dubai. “It’s something that we’ve treated, he’s all good now and we’re on top of it.
Rodd, who has been in Dubai since Monday, admitted Debt Collector took a little while to settle in, but now feels spot on for the biggest assignment of his career.
“He’s in really good order, he looks fantastic,” Rodd said.
“He travelled over okay; he was off his feed for a little bit, but by Tuesday he was straight back into it.
“He had a light hit out on Wednesday morning and feels good, he pulled up great, which is the main thing.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday.”
Rodd, who moved to Singapore in 2015, has chalked up 40 G1 wins throughout his glittering career; including a Melbourne Cup (Efficient in 2007) and a Cox Plate (Maldivian in 2008).
The 35-year-old said victory on Saturday would rank right up there.
“It would be incredible, especially to do it with Cliff Brown and on this horse – I’ve won eight races on him,” said Rodd.
Brown trained out of Narbethong in Victoria, before moving to Singapore, where he has enjoyed great success, in 2008.
Whittenbury, meantime, has been in racing a long time, and under the Barree Pastoral banner, has bred and raced several quality gallopers, including; Ponton Flyer, Rechabite, Minnesota Shark and Titanic Jack.
He too can’t wait to see Debt Collector on the world stage.
“He’s (Debt Collector) a superstar, I think, I love him,” said Whittenbury.
“It’s a great thrill. Whether he can measure up to this sort of company remains to be seen.”
As well as the six G1s, the Dubai World Cup meeting has three G2 races, with prizemoney totalling $30 million (AUD$39.4 million).
Seven Australian-based horses (Malaguerra, Illustrious Lad, The Quarterback, Counterattack, Faatinah, Almoonqith and Awesome Rock) were nominated for the meeting – the world’s richest – but none made the trip.
– g1x.com.au
