Pyromancer, Godolphin's bet to conquer the UAE Derby once again

The son of Pyro arrives in Dubai from Japan, where he remains undefeated in 3 starts, with a tough challenge ahead

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).— After finding the UAE Derby (G2) to be a platform for greatness with names like Thunder Snow (Helmet) and Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi), Godolphin is trying again. But this time, with a different card. One that seeks to break the mold.

The protagonist is Pyromancer, an undefeated Japanese colt who arrives at Meydan with 3 wins in as many starts and the endorsement of having conquered the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (G1), the most important race for 2-year-olds on dirt in Japan.

"He is a horse bred by us. That G1 is the only one for 2-year-olds on the dirt in Japan, so he was the champion of his generation," explained Harry Sweeney, president of Godolphin Japan. The fact is significant. That same race was won by Derma Sotogake (Mind Your Biscuits) and by Forever Young (Real Steel), both later protagonists on the international circuit. And that line invites hope.

Of course, the leap now is greater. It will be his first experience outside of Japan, in a completely different context. "He is young and it is his first international trip, but he has a very high rating. In theory, he has a great opportunity, although this is a horse race and we highly respect all the rivals," Sweeney added.

From gate 9, with James Doyle in the irons, the plan seems clear: "We are satisfied with the draw. He is a horse that travels well in the race, so we imagine he can position himself second or third, on the outside. Having a jockey with experience at Meydan is a great advantage," he explained.

Doyle himself will have a final contact with the horse before the race, in a soft gallop scheduled for Friday. As often happens with this event, the natural horizon is the Kentucky Derby (G1). But at Godolphin, they prefer caution: "We don't like to get ahead of ourselves. We've been in this situation before and sometimes it didn't work out. Let's think about this race first and then we'll see," Sweeney stated.

The UAE Derby, however, will not be a simple task. Among the rivals appears the Frenchman Go Man (Goken), trained by Richard Chotard, who arrives with European experience and a background that supports his potential.

"I always thought he was a Group horse. He has speed, which is key for the dirt, and I don't think the distance will be a problem. The uncertainty is the surface, but I have great memories of this race and I didn't hesitate to come," his trainer explained.

Another seeking to be a protagonist is Brotherly Love (Zoustar), representing Jamie Osborne, who will try to repeat his family's recent history. He is a half-brother to Heart Of Honor (Honor A.P.), second last year in this same race, and is coming off a win in the Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby (L).

"They are very young horses and they change all the time. I was worried that he wasn't mature enough, but in the last few days he has improved a lot. His last work was the best he's done since he arrived," Osborne commented. And he added a key point: "I think he is evolving at the right time. Like his brother, he will be favored by a race that demands stamina."

Thus, the UAE Derby once again brings together prospects from different parts of the world, with intertwining stories and objectives that go far beyond a single race.

In this context, Pyromancer arrives as the great unknown… and also as Godolphin's possible next big story.