Dettori set to raid Al Fahidi fort

There are not too many races in the world worth winning that have eluded the grasp of Frankie Dettori, Godolphin's highly decorated stable jockey. However, one race that the Italian has found hard to nail is the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort, the highlight of today's Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting sponsored by Al Tayer Motors. In ten rides since 2001, when he finished fourth aboard the Saeed Bin Surour-trained Slipstream, the closest he has come to tasting victory was in 2009 when he finished runner-up to Gladiatorus. Six of those rides were for trainer Bin Surour, who is looking for his second success in the race after winning the inaugural event in 2000 with Grazalema, who was ridden by Richard Mullen. The 1,600m turf feature has attracted a classy field of 13 runners led by Bin Surour's multiple Group 1 winner Rio De La Plata, multiple Irish stakes winner Viscount Nelson, and Marcret, who finished third in the Group 2 Al Rashidiya on January 26 at Meydan for Italian trainer Marco Botti. The field also includes Master of Hounds, third in last week's Maktoum Challenge Round 2 and 2010 winner Derbaas, who is bidding to become only the second horse in the history of the race to win it back-to-back. South Africa's Linngari achieved the feat in 2006-2007. Good form Rio De La Plata, the mount of Dettori makes his seasonal return for Bin Surour who also saddles Do It All, the mount of Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Sousa. Assessing his runners the in-form Emirati handler said: "Rio De La Plata has been working nicely and looks in good form at the moment. "He was unlucky not to win a big race last season but he's ready to run and we are looking forward to seeing him run well. "Do It All was disappointing on his first start of the year but he needed the race and is improving all of the time. I am hopeful that he can run a better race this time." Bin Surour's Godolphin work-mate Mahmoud Al Zarouni purses a maiden victory in the Al Fahidi Fort with Time Prisoner who won the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Maisons-Laffitte, France in July and a Conditions event at Saint-Cloud in April. Al Zarouni commented: "Time Prisoner is in good form. Frankie Dettori said he hit the front a bit too soon on his latest start and I think that carrying a lot of weight in a handicap also played against him. He is only a small horse and I think that the return to Group company will suit him. "He won over a mile last year and I think that he will prefer the step back up in distance." Top South African handler, who has won this race three times, saddles two classy runners, Master Of Hounds and Viscount Nelson. The trainer said: "Obviously they are two nice horses but both have a bit to prove under these conditions in a good race; Viscount Nelson is probably ideally suited by further but he bruised a foot and missed a race and some work. Therefore the 1600m looks ideal to get him back on the track. "Master Of Hounds ran well enough last week but all his UAE form is on [the all-weather] but we worked him on turf the other day and he went very well. It looks a very good renewal but we have two reasonable chances." Today's meeting also feature five interesting handicaps, including the concluding 2000m Range Rover Trophy, on the turf where Treble Jig, bids to continue his Jebel Ali Stakes and Jebel Ali Mile winning form. Jockey Wayne Smith said: "I am really looking forward to the race as this horse has been something special this season. This race will give us the chance to see just how good he is and help us decide where to go with him."