Dubai World Cup diary from Martin Kelly in Meydan

Calling a Disney fairytale

Keen Ice is best known for slaying American Pharaoh in the 2015 Travers Stakes and owner Jerry Crawford is looking to the late Walt Disney to help in his bid to lower the colours of Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup.

Keen Ice has 19lbs to find with the red-hot favourite and has been beaten around 11 lengths when the pair clashed at the Breeders’ Cup and again in the Pegasus Gold Cup in January.

Crawford was pressed at morning trackwork this week as to how they can beat the champion, and replied: “Well, I think the thing to do is call Walt Disney, ask him for his best jockey and an improbable story.

“Failing that we need him to miss the start, have trouble in the run or for something else to go wrong as on his day Arrogate is a full measure better than them all.”

Keen Ice finished a never-nearer eighth in last year’s World Cup and has since been transferred from trainer Dale Romans to Todd Plethcher.

Cycling to success

Trainer Roger Charlton has developed a new nickname in Dubai as he bids to defend is unbeaten record in Group One races at Meydan.

Five year’s have passed since Cityscape landed the then Dubai Duty Free and Decorated Knight – who contests the equivalent race this year – doubled Charlton’s top-level haul here when taking out the Jebbel Hatta earlier this month.

Charlton and his wife Clare arrived at the training track on Thursday morning, to supervise the work of Decorated Knight and Gold Cup-bound Quest For More, on bicycles.

Roger Varian had been spotted using the bikes to shuttle between quarantine and the training track last year, but Charlton has taken over them prompting Gold Cup rival trainer Michael Bell to refer to him as ‘Bradley’ after the Olympic hero Wiggins.

One fingered salute

Fans of Big Orange will be heartened to hear the globetrotting six-year-old has had the assistance of his usual work rider in his preparation for a second tilt at the Dubai Gold Cup.

Gill Dolman has travelled the giant stayer all over the world but had worried she may not make Dubai again after breaking the end of her second-last finger on her right hand. 

Dolman takes off her support to ride out before reattaching it after Big Orange has completed his work.

Trainer Michael Bell pointed out the importance of the digit while illustrating by holding his own finger alone in the air, before blushing and clarifying the importance is solely down to its use in holding the reins.

Jog on Sir!

Security has been noticeably tight around the track this week and even being the head of the one of the major sponsors does not open doors.

Longines vice president Juan-Carlos Capelli was spotted heading for a jog around the track perimeter during the Breakfast With The Stars event.

The lycra-clad runner was stopped in his tracks by a member of the security staff opposite the Longines time-keeping board on the infield to be told he could jog no further. Discussions between the pair continued for several minutes before Capelli turned around the walked back in the direction from which he had come.

Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy

Horse names can be a source of amusement and fans of US country singer Kacey Musgraves will no doubt be lending their support to Mind Your Biscuits when he bids to justify favoritism in the Golden Shaheen.

Chad Summers’ American raider tops the market for the six-furlong dirt dash having been awarded second spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last November.

Summers only took out his license last December and has had just four runners, so is a remarkable story himself, with Mind Your Biscuits finishing second on his only outing for his new trainer.

But it is the name which has attracted most interest, with Summers explaining: “His name came from a Kacey Musgraves song called 'Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.'

“I was on the phone to my brother talking about pinhooking this horse and that song came on the radio. I thought it was hilarious so we decided to name a horse Mind Your Biscuits.”