KEY POINTS:
Seachange has had her first gallop in Dubai and a dial-a-friend call has been made.
The outstanding New Zealand mare galloped well in Dubai on Saturday morning (Saturday night NZ time) watched by trainer Ralph Manning, who arrived in Dubai only two hours before the workout.
Manning was completely satisfied with the work, but will ask the Dubai Racing Club officials if there is a chance of securing a pony to put in the quarantine station with Seachange for company.
Because there are no other New Zealand horses visiting for the Dubai carnival quarantine regulations require Seachange to be isolated in a four-horse barn on her own.
"Seachange is not at all an affectionate horse, but Ralph feels she might pine for company," said ownership manager Rick Williams.
Manning was extremely impressed with the quality of the grass surface in Dubai, which he describes as like velvet, but less so with the tight bends.
"Ralph said the straights might be 600m plus, but the bends are extremely tight. He felt they were tighter than most of the tracks in New Zealand."
Seachange has shown discomfort in negotiating tights bends.
"When she raced at Caulfield, which is tight, she was like speedy-cutting [cutting their own legs] herself behind, only worse.
"She's probably a little better in that regard now she's more mature, but we'll have to see how that goes."
Locally-based Irish jockey Ted Durcan, who will ride Seachange in her two Dubai races, watched the gallop, in which the mare was ridden by regular trackwork rider Jayne Ivil.
Manning believes Seachange has tightened up significantly since winning the Waikato Draught Sprint.
"Ralph said she looks better, and she'd need to," said Williams.
Seachange will do significant pieces of work on Wednesday, Saturday and Monday.
