Story by Ray Hickson (Racing NSW) 3 July 2025
There’s an air of confidence from the Ciaron Maher stable that being patient with Hi Dubai in the early part of her preparation will pay off at Rosehill on Saturday.
Johann Gerard-Dubord (Aussie Joh)
The five-year-old recorded two third placings against the boys over 1000m at Randwick with a month between runs and arrives at the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1100m) with assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord saying she’s had the right build up.
HI DUBAI
Only twice in Hi Dubai’s 13 starts to date has she taken on just fillies and mares so she’ll have to carry 59kg, after Braith Nock's claim, but with the grounding she’s had Gerard-Dubord feels she’s more than capable.
“It was the plan to space her first two runs and now she’s fit we can go two weeks with no issue,’’ he said.
“She loves the wet, she’s very fit now, she’s got some weight to carry but we have the claim for Braith who is riding well.
“She’s got a good gate, I think she will go very close.”
Hi Dubai, $4.60 with TAB on Thursday, resumed with a close third behind Storm The Ramparts on that testing track at Randwick on May 24.
The Maher stable elected to wait until June 21 to produce her again and she was involved in a tight three-way finish filling third behind Lulumon and Storm The Ramparts again.
Gerard-Duboard said the team was rapt with her last run and she’s ready for 1100m on a wet track.
“She was very good the other day, the last 50m she was coming back,’’ he said.
“She’s due for a win, she’s been very consistent, so hopefully she can get it done.”
As far as ideal scenarios go, Gerard-Dubord said Naval Commission will be right in his comfort zone on all fronts in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (2000m).
The gelding has been placed in all three runs this campaign and he said a case can be made to be forgiving even though he was beaten fair and square at Canterbury a month ago.
NAVAL COMMISSION
“He raced last start like he lacked a turn of foot, but I think it was more a fact that it was a drier track,’’ he said.
“He looks the best he’s ever looked, he’ll run very well. It’s the first time this prep he’s got everything for him. He has a lighter weight, good draw, wet track, he ticks a few boxes.”