Trainer Jamie Osborne has no intention of ditching his Dubai World Cup ambitions for Toast Of New York following the decision of Meydan to replace the existing Tapeta surface with dirt for the start of next season.
Tapeta has been in place since racing began at Meydan four years ago, but officials have decided to switch back to dirt, which was used at Dubai’s former flagship racecourse, Nad Al Sheba.
Toast Of New York proved his ability to handle the synthetic surface with a brilliant display in the UAE Derby at the end of March and although he is currently being prepared for the Derby at Epsom, Osborne has made no secret of the fact next year’s World Cup is his primary objective.
The British trainer admits the switch of surface is likely to affect his colt’s preparations between now and next March, but sees no reason why he should shy away from targeting the world’s richest race.
“It wasn’t a surprise as we heard it was coming and my initial reaction was obviously one of disappointment," Osborne said. “We have a very talented horse who acted on the Tapeta very well, but it’s not the end of the world as far as we’re concerned.
“Our horse might well go on dirt and we’re certainly not abandoning Plan A (Dubai World Cup).
“What it might mean is we may have to practice on dirt somewhere in the autumn. Whether that is at Santa Anita (for the Breeders’ Cup) or somewhere else, we’ll just have to see.
“It might also change the way we arrive in Meydan next year. We will probably train him out there, rather than running him straight off the plane. We decided against running in the Kentucky Derby on dirt, but the primary reason wasn’t the surface. It was more to do with timing than anything. He’s coming along and we’re happy with him.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, expressed his concerns about the Tapeta when speaking before this year’s World Cup, where he was responsible for eventual runner-up Mukhadram.
He said: “Not all horses give their best on the surface where the ground conditions change every few metres. New horses to the surface shorten their strides and don’t stretch naturally.
“It is also inconsistent – it’s slow in the morning and faster in the evening. I believe they add 20 per cent of cushion each year but that makes it very shallow.
“It was a good track in the first year, but has changed. The race is not as strong as it used to be and that’s because the Americans are not here.
“Some of the younger horses are preparing for the Classics while the others are afraid of the ground. They prefer the old track.”
