Trevor McKee has strongly denied press reports that he will run Sunline in the world's richest horse race, the $US6 million ($13.8 million) Dubai World Cup on March 24.
Speaking to the Herald from Dubai last night, McKee said he had not ruled the race out, but would not decide until he returned to New Zealand tomorrow.
McKee said he had been impressed by the facilities at Nad Al Sheba racetrack, the main reason for his trip to Dubai with co-owner Thayne Green.
"The facilities all round are fabulous, you could never have a complaint about them."
When the Herald spoke to McKee, he and Green were with Emirates Racing chief executive Les Benton, watching Dubai's prized racing camels in training.
Benton, who has been trying to convince the team to take Sunline to Dubai, believes the horse would start favourite in the Dubai World Cup, which carries a winning stake of $7 million-plus.
"The way the Nad Al Sheba dirt track has been racing, the race will suit horses in front and Sunline is the likely leader," said Benton.
"The horses to beat would probably be Japan's Wing Arrow and Captain Steve from America."
McKee's major concern has always been the 23-hour flight time.
"We have to weigh that up against all our other options," said McKee.
Very few horses in the world can display equal ability on grass and dirt tracks, but McKee has never doubted that Sunline would cope with racing on dirt.
It would be an extraordinary performance if she could win the world's richest horse race on dirt at her first attempt on the surface.
She would be New Zealand's first entry in the Dubai World Cup, which began in 1996.
Danewin represented Australia in that first running, finishing 10th behind the world champion of the time, America's Cigar. The Gai Waterhouse-trained Juggler finished sixth to Singspiel in 1997.
McKee received another thrill with the champion mare yesterday, with a group two race at Moonee Valley to be named after her. The $A125,000 Sunline Stakes will be run on March 24, the day she is set to run in Dubai.
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Jim Wallace is starting to get excited about Cent Home's chances in the $A1.25 million Australian Cup, despite the Kiwi weight-for-age star's sixth place in Sunday's $A300,000 Orr Stakes at Caulfield.
"It was a fabulous run," said Wallace, who has returned to Masterton for a few days. "In fact, I couldn't be more delighted."
Cent Home was only 1.25 lengths from the winner, Desert Sky, after sitting wide throughout the 1400m race, run in track record time of 1:21.64.
"What really beat him was the barrier draw and the fact he couldn't handle the Caulfield home bend," said Wallace.
"It was his first race at Caulfield and all the Australian trainers say the first experience of going around the home bend there can be tough.
"He was out wide anyway and he lost three lengths on the horses inside him."
Cent Home ran out of room at the end but was still close to the winner, who at no stage left the inside running rail.
"He was pulling ground off every other runner in the final stages."
That was Cent Home's second run since an enforced spell following a muscle problem.
"He pulled up brilliantly on Sunday and had a little blow for a while, so he'll be fitter for that.'
Cent Home will clash with Giovana in the St George Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week. The Australian Cup is two weeks later.
Racing: Hold your horses says McKee
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