Comin' Through Dubai on an overseas odyssey

4 min read
The prominent New Zealand breeder wants to make a "global footprint" on the sport and G1 winner Comin' Through takes the next step on his overseas adventure early on Thursday morning

By Michael Cox

A New Zealand breeder, Sir Owen Glenn's international ambition for horse racing is the driving force behind the overseas odyssey of Comin' Through (Fastnet Rock) that begins early on Friday but could take the gelding to the world's richest race night and possibly Royal Ascot.

From Australia to Hong Kong and now Dubai, Chris Waller's durable G1-winning gelding kicks off a middle eastern campaign in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort, with the Super Saturday World Cup prelude meeting on March 9 and hopefully the G1 Dubai Turf on World Cup night on March 30.

Comin' Through

"Regarding a program, we will take it one race at a time before making any concrete plans. Sir Owen and Chris have mapped out a route to Dubai World Cup night via Super Saturday but we will get through tomorrow first," Glenn's Go Racing syndicate manager Steve O'Connor told TDN AusNZ from Dubai.

"Regarding a program, we will take it one race at a time before making any concrete plans." - Go Racing syndicate manager, Steve O'Connor

Still, if Comin' Through measures up at Meydan over the next few starts it would seem a logical progression to follow in the hoof steps of his half-brother Criterion (Sebring) and head to Royal Ascot.

Glenn bred both horses and travelled extensively with Criterion, who had a two-run campaign in England during the summer of 2015 and made two visits to Hong Kong, where he was placed at G1 level, but this will be the owner-breeder's first runner in Dubai.

"It is a great achievement for Sir Owen to have a runner in Dubai and more so with a horse Sir Owen bred. Like Criterion before him, Comin' Through is a great ambassador for Sir Owen and they are a good example of the ambition and the global footprint Sir Owen wishes to impact on the thoroughbred industry."

"It is a great achievement for Sir Owen to have a runner in Dubai and more so with a horse Sir Owen bred." - Steve O'Connor

Comin' Through hasn't raced since he was unplaced in the G1 Hong Kong Mile in December but O'Connor said the Waller team is quietly confident of a forward showing.

"He arrived in Dubai on Christmas Eve after competing at the Hong Kong International Races. He looks a picture and is in great order; he really is enjoying having the Dubai sun on his back. Chris and the team are very happy with him so we could not ask for more. We have Maddi from Chris Waller's team travelling with the horse and she has been invaluable. We are very grateful to have her. "

"The horse is in good shape, we are looking forward to seeing him race and we are hopeful of a good run. He is the second highest rated horse on paper and he has a brilliant record first up. He has won three from five fresh including the G2 Tramway Stakes back in September over 1400m, the same distance they race over tomorrow. He has travelled a long way but Comin' Through is a real warrior for Sir Owen and we know he will be a great ambassador for us in Dubai."

"We have Maddi from Chris Waller's team travelling with the horse and she has been invaluable. We are very grateful to have her. " - Steve O'Connor

Chris Waller has flown to Dubai for the race and to inspect the outstanding facilities in which Comin' Through is stabled.

"He is stabled in the international stables at Meydan racetrack where all international runners live and exercise during the Dubai Carnival," O'Connor said. "The facilities are second to none in Dubai and I remember from my time there that the international stables are always a hub of excitement with participants arriving from all over the world."

Maddi aboard Comin' Through in Meydan