KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's champion racemare Seachange has arrived in Dubai.
She handled the long flight through Singapore well and will do her first piece of work this morning.
Seachange has her first Dubai start in two weeks tomorrow on her way through to the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free on March 29.
Seachange arrived safely in Dubai yesterday morning New Zealand time.
After 24 hours in solitary confinement, New Zealand's champion mare will be let loose to work on one of the great racetracks of the world as she starts her global challenge.
"I've just been down to see her and she looks fine," said Martin Talty, an Australian who has been the longtime international manager for the Dubai Racing Club.
To comply with quarantine regulations, Seachange has been housed in a plush four-horse barn on her own.
"She has a spacious lawn where she can spend time in the sun and have a pick," said Talty. "She has her own walking ring and sand roll."
Seachange was accompanied on the long flight by Jayne Ivil, regular trackwork rider of Seachange and the winning jockey on the mare at the beginning of her Kelt Capital campaign last spring.
Trainer Ralph Manning plans to fly to Dubai on Friday and if he's happy with Seachange's condition he will give her the first serious gallop on Saturday morning.
Ivil sent a text message to ownership manager Rick Williams yesterday to say Seachange had left a little of her first feed in Dubai, but that is probably to be expected.
"It isn't really her to leave anything, but that's a long flight and it's only natural.
"The first big hurdle has been cleared, now in the next 24 hours we want to see no temperature spikes or signs of travel sickness.
"Once we're over that it'll be all go."
Seachange's first race in Dubai is the Jebel Hatta over 1777m in 15 days.
She will be ridden in that and in the US$5 million Duty Free on March 29 by Irishman Ted Durcan, who is expected to ride the mare for the first time on Saturday morning
Many of the horses Seachange will compete against in both races will contest the group two Al Fahidi Fort tomorrow night.
A replay of that race can be seen 10 minutes after the event on www.dubairacingclub.com.
The time difference means the race is likely to be run in the early hours of Friday New Zealand time.
Seachange arrived in Dubai as some of the world's best thoroughbreds converged for the world's richest racing carnival.
One of the favourites for the big one, the Dubai World Cup - US Horse Of The Year Curlin - arrived from the United States at the weekend.
Yesterday he had his first look at Nad Al Sheba's dirt track on which he hopes to shortly carve an even deeper international reputation.
Curlin's trainer Steve Asmussen sent out his career 4000th winner on Sunday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Like most before them, the Americans marvel at the facilities in Dubai.
"Right now Poncho [Curlin] thinks he's died and gone to heaven," said assistant trainer Scott Blasi.
"He's got a stall the size of a paddock."
