Bhupat Seemar hopes good season gets even better at Dubai World Cup

Victory on Dubai World Cup night would be icing on the cake for Bhupat Seemar.

A long-time assistant trainer at his uncle Satish Seemar's Zabeel Stables, Bhupat is now on the verge of becoming the UAE champion trainer having received his trainer’s license in November.

Bhupat is on 46 winners, seven more than his closest challengers Doug Watson and Ernst Oertel, with two days of racing left after the Dubai World Cup night.

“It’s never done until it’s done,” Bhupat said as he knows Oertel, who trains Purebred Arabians, has strong claims in the two meetings in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain that are predominantly for the breed.

Bhupat remained humble and pointed out he was “very fortunate to be in this position in my first season” and to have eight runners in the Dubai World Cup meeting, including Remorse in the $12million feature race on the night.

His seven other runners are spread across three races – three each in the Group 2s Godolphin Mile and UAE Derby, and Switzerland in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

“You’ve got to be realistic in the four races we have our runners in,” Bhupat said as he described the depth of quality in every contest.

“You’re going in the world’s biggest race meeting with some of the top dirt horses in the world. Remorse has improved but strange things do happen in races as the pace could collapse or something could happen.

“Remorse is such an honest horse and so far all he’s done is improve so hopefully we can keep him healthy for the race and get a good draw. I’m hoping that if he’s in the first four turning for home, we know he’ll finish the race well.”

Luis Saez celebrates his Dubai World Cup win on Mystic Guide. Pawan Singh / The National

Al Nefud is the choice of stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea from