By MIKE DILLON
Godolphin Stables house the world's best horses and they can't beat Sunline in tomorrow's $US2 million Dubai Duty Free.
So says world champion jockey Frankie Dettori, who rides Slickly, the best of the three Godolphin runners facing Sunline.
"Slickly is a good horse, but he is better on a right-handed track and he needs some rain," said Dettori at Nad Al Sheba racetrack yesterday.
Even a quick look at the Dubai skyline says rain is 500 to 1 and drifting. It has not rained properly here in two years.
"Slickly will run a decent race, but whatever he does you have to say he will be two lengths better next start on a right-handed track. His stablemate Sobieski also needs an easing in the track.
"I've seen Sunline and I think she's an outstanding mare. I saw her Cox Plate win and that was simply fabulous.
"It will be great if she is able to race up to her best for and win.
"I think Fairy King Prawn is the horse to beat."
Looking at Fairy King Prawn working quietly yesterday it was difficult to agree with that.
He did not look the horse who ran so brilliantly to give Sunline eight lengths start and push her to a close photo finish in the Hong Kong Mile in December.
Fairy King Prawn had a rough trip flying in from Hong Kong and his talented trainer Ivan Allan admits he has had worrying times getting the horse back to fitness.
"I had a sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw him the morning after he arrived. He was dehydrated and tucked up, but I feel he has brightened considerably in the last three or four days."
This is no race meeting to be coming from an off-colour position. Facing the best in the world is for when you are at peak and improving - like Sunline.
The champion New Zealand mare looked a ball of muscle and ready to explode when she pulled up from her 4.15am gallop yesterday morning.
Sunline and Claire Bird went only a relatively quiet 800m in a bit worse than 40 seconds, running the last 600 in 38, hard held by Bird and looking for more work.
Whe she walked back from the gallop she was under control, but desperate to do something serious.
"She feels as good as she's ever felt," said Bird.
Thirty minutes later the mare had settled perfectly and was as relaxed as she ever gets walking back into the quarantine station.
Sunline has a score to settle with star French stayer Jim And Tonic, who made her look ordinary when she was off colour when beaten in the Hong Kong Cup 15 months ago.
Jim And Tonic looked in great shape when he worked quietly yesterday, trainer Francois Doumen expressing delight at the condition of his stable headliner.
If Sunline is beaten by Jim And Tonic the Kiwi camp will have reason to rate themselves unlucky. Jim And Tonic was refused permission to fly when originally taken to a French airport to fly to Dubai. When he was finally allowed to leave, his departure was only hours before the first French outbreak of foot and mouth disease was reported, which resulted in a total ban of all animal exports from France.
Ivan Allan said he did not disagree with the general opinion that the Dury Free was a match race between Sunline and Fairy King Prawn, but rated Jim And Tonic a real danger.
"He is a hard-fighting horse at his best."
Allan does not concede much, but admitted his stable made a tactical error when Sunline beat Fairy King Prawn in December.
"We made a mistake in thinking the pace would be much stronger than it turned out to be. We had Fairy King Prawn ridden back anticipating that, but it left us at a real disadvantage when it became a sprint home.
"We will be tagging her this time - we have no intention of letting her get too far in front."
Sunline remains a firm favourite at between $2.75 and $3 with all major world betting agencies.
Racing: Champion jockey backs Sunline
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