"Why change a winning formula?" asked Ed Dunlop on Sunday, explaining the decision to run our star filly SNOW FAIRY on the grass in the US$5m Sheema Classic at Meydan on March 26 rather than step into the unknown and tackle the Dubai World Cup for twice the money on the tapeta surface.
Snow Fairy, the dual Oaks winner who enjoyed a lucrative autumn campaign when bagging two more Group 1 races in Japan and Hong Kong, worked on the Cambridge Road Polytrack gallop in Newmarket on Saturday morning under big-race jockey Ryan Moore, after which a decision was taken to head for the Sheema.
Ed said: "As always, the final decision came from the owner, but both Ryan and I agreed that it was the right one. Snow Fairy will work again next week and then fly out to Dubai on Sunday and we don't see stepping back up to a mile and a half being a problem.
"This will be the most valuable race that Snow Fairy runs in, so it makes sense to play to our strengths and stick to what she knows best and there is no doubt that she is very effective on turf when the ground rides fast. Obviously, it will be a very competitive race but we are all very much looking forward to it."
Casting his eyes further down the road, Ed added: "The plan is to bring Snow Fairy back to Newmarket after Dubai, and then, all being well, we would consider heading out to the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin on May 1. She would then have a little holiday and while she will be entered for Singapore, we are also very much thinking of races like the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
"I would doubt that Snow Fairy would have that many races in Europe this year as come the autumn the ground will probably have gone soft, which does not suit her, so she could well then be off on her travels again, with Japan and Hong Kong again in the equation and also the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf in Kentucky."
The great Ouija Board twice won the Filly & Mare Turf for us and the belated debut of her first foal, Lord Derby's Voodoo Prince, may not be that far away. Ed added: "Voodoo Prince had a little setback just as we were about to launch his career last year, so we have had to be patient but while we have no firm plans, it is just possible that he might be ready for the Wood Ditton Stakes for unraced horses at our Craven meeting. The race would suit him and it is just down the road but at the moment it is just a thought."