Sheikh Rashid Purchase to Tilt Morning Line Odds in Donn Handicap?

Sheikh Rashid, son of Sheikh Mohammed, has potentially shaken up this Saturday’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap with his purchase of an interest in one of the current betting favourites, Morning Line (Tiznow). The Nick Zito-trained colt enters the race listed as the solid second in the wagering with a 3/1 price placing him just behind stable-mate Fly Down (Mineshaft), who trades as a lukewarm 5/2 favourite.

Since the introduction of the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup, and its’ status as the world’s richest race, the Donn Handicap has become known as the key prep for American contenders seeking at kick at the World Cup can.

The purchase makes it clear that Sheikh Rashid believes the Dell Ridge Farms-bred bay or brown colt has what it takes to translate to the Meydan surface – a definite gamble as the son of Tiznow is still yet to have an effort over a synthetic track. He was undone on the line in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by the stage-stealing long-shot Dakota Phone (Zavata) but he will definitely not struggle with the distance as connections have clearly not seen the bottom of him as of this point.

Zabeel Racing’s Omar Trevino declared in an interview that “we’re looking for a World Cup horse… Looking at his pedigree we don’t think he’s a miler… We’re hoping he’ll do a route of ground.” The veteran racing manager made it particularly clear that a good run in the Donn would earn Morning Line a trip to the World Cup.

Gulfstream bettors will obviously be anxious to see how the purchase tilts the pari-mutuel board. The Donn will be no cakewalk for Morning Line as he faces off against a rather talented pack of older horses. One-time Kentucky Derby favourite I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even) is set to line up while Todd Pletcher’s Rule (Roman Ruler) is also in the mix. Grade 3 Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner Eldaafer (A.P. Indy) will be seeking his fourth score on the bounce, yet he remains winless over the Gulfstream surface in his two previous attempts.