Kiaran McLaughlin launches a dual Godolphin challenge on the G3 Firebreak Stakes Sponsored By EGA, with Confrontation and Watershed racing outside of America for the first time in the mile contest at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, February 4.
Time/Date - 21.55hrs local time/Thursday, February 4, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Meydan/UAE
Surface/Distance - Dirt/1m
Kiaran McLaughlin launches a dual Godolphin challenge on the G3 Firebreak Stakes Sponsored By EGA, with Confrontation and Watershed racing outside of America for the first time in the mile contest at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, February 4.
Confrontation, a five-time winner on dirt at Saratoga and Belmont Park, has finished second on his three most recent outings.
Last time out, he went down by a length and a quarter to subsequent dual G1 winner Liam's Map in a mile allowance optional claimer at Belmont Park on June 19.
The six-year-old was beaten three and three quarter lengths by the 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist in the G3 Westchester Stakes, also over a mile at Belmont Park, in May and found himself narrowly denied in a seven-furlong non-graded race at Gulfstream Park in March.
Lightly-raced four-year-old Watershed came home fifth of seven behind Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Runhappy in the G1 Malibu Stakes over seven furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita on December 26.
The Bernardini colt was fourth to the same horse in the G1 NYRA.com King's Bishop Stakes, also over seven furlongs, at Saratoga in August, and was successful on both his other starts, a cosy win in a Keeneland allowance race over the same distance in October and an easy debut victory at six furlongs in a Saratoga maiden in early August.
Kiaran McLaughlin said: "Confrontation is making his first start for us, so we don't know him that well but he is doing great.
"He has been training very well and ran some good races against some very strong opposition last year. This is his trip and he should run well.
"Watershed didn't run an A-plus race in the Malibu Stakes but he still ran very well against Runhappy, who ended the season as champion sprinter.
"We always felt that he needed a mile, or maybe even further, and this will give us a chance to see how he gets on over this distance.
"He's lightly-raced but is doing very well out here and should run accordingly. Hopefully, everything will suit him here - the step-up in trip, slower pace and change of rider.
"Mubtaahij will rightfully be the one to beat but he hasn't run for a while and might want further than a mile."
Confrontation, with William Buick on board for the first time and Watershed, the mount of James Doyle, race against five challengers in the mile dirt race, headed by last year's UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij who subsequently finished fourth in the G1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, USA, on June 6.
