Muir snaps up Dettori for Pyledriver – and draw proves kinder

Martin Dwyer ruled out of Sheema Classic ride due to injury.

William Muir has been quick to secure the services of Frankie Dettori for Pyledriver after a knee injury ruled Martin Dwyer out of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Saturday.

Dwyer recommended Dettori to Muir, his father in law, after suffering the injury riding out – and the Lambourn trainer wasted no time in snapping up the Italian.

Pyledriver was a big disappointment in the Neom Cup in Saudi Arabia last month, but Muir, who jointly holds a licence with Chris Grassick, blamed that solely on the horse’s outside draw.

The five-year-old finished second in the Hong Kong Vase on his previous start and Muir is expecting a big run this time from last year’s Coronation Cup winner.

The draw has gone the other way this time, with Pyledriver being handed stall one.

Frankie Dettori has been snapped up for Pyledriver in the Dubai Sheema Classic
Frankie Dettori has been snapped up for Pyledriver in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Mike Egerton/PA)

Muir told the PA news agency from Dubai: “We got drawn 14 in Saudi and had no chance. We can’t be disappointed with this draw. He’s a horse that’s very versatile. He can jump and go forward, so I think if someone said to me ‘you can be one or 15’ I’d have taken one every day of the week.

“Frankie’s taken over because Martin got injured. Martin rang Frankie and talked to him for us. Everything is sorted out and it’s great. Frankie is the boy on the big stage and you can’t get any bigger than this.”

He added: “Pyledriver was really good today. He did two canters, he seems well, he looks great, he’s eaten well today and yesterday since I’ve been over here, so I’m very happy.”

Dwyer may give Pyledriver a holiday afterwards and bring him back for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in July.

“I may give him a break after this and come back for the King George,” he added.

“The owners are keen to go back to Hong Kong and also have a go at the Arc.”

As for Pyledriver’s Sheema Classic rivals, Authority, who won the Neom Cup, will come out of stall 10. The Owen Burrows-trained Hukum is in 11 with Charlie Appleby’s Yibir in 12 and the William Haggas pair of Alenquer and Dubai Honour in nine and seven respectively.

Lord North will race from the same stall nine in which he was successful from in the Dubai Turf 12 months ago.

The six-year-old, trained by John and Thady Gosden, only had his first race since then at Lingfield last month when he was runner-up to Alenquer.

“There’s a nice run into the bend, so we’re happy with that. Alenquer is a very good horse and stays better than Lord North and was fitter on the day (at Lingfield),” told Sky Sports Racing.

“He was a bit rusty and not quite mentally tuned on to it and he was probably only about 75 per cent fit, so it was a pleasing run. He does everything easy enough at home as he always has and he still retains his enthusiasm for it.”

David O’Meara’s stable flagbearer Lord Glitters is drawn seven, with Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Saffron Beach in stall eight and the Haggas duo of Mohaafeth and My Oberon in five and two.

Dubai World Cup favourite Life Is Good has drawn stall one as Todd Pletcher’s charge bids to follow up his brilliant victory in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January.

His main market rival, the Doug O’Neill-trained Hot Rod Charlie, will come out of gate seven.

Saeed bin Suroor, the race’s winning-most trainer, goes for a 10th success with Real World, who has stall six, while Grocer Jack, representing the Haggas stable, is drawn five.

Bob Baffert’s Country Grammer – another big ride for Dettori – and the Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon, who were second and third in the Saudi Cup, are in gates five and eight. Andre Fabre’s Magny Cours is in nine.

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