Bell hopes Destructive can earn a chance at the UAE Derby by coming here rather than staying home

The conditions event has attracted 15 runners, with the Bell runner drawn in stall seven. Destructive, who finished second on his sole start over a mile at Chelmsford in November, is the first Fitzroy House runner at Meydan since Big Orange in 2018. The latter was effective on turf, as shown when he finished second in the Dubai Gold Cup in 2016. Destructive will tackle the neighbouring dirt track, as he is a half-brother to two winners on a similar surface in the US.

Speaking from Dubai, Bell’s son and assistant Nick said, “Destructive ran a race full of promise on his debut at Chelmsford and has a dirt pedigree on both sides, so we thought we would give it a go out here.” “World Cup night would be the target if he were to run well. Before that, there is the Listed Al Bastakiya on February 26, which is basically the Derby trial.”

Regarding taking a once-raced maiden to Meydan, Nick said, “These dirt races are worth a lot of money and after his eyecatching debut, we thought it made more sense to come out here and try to pick up some nice prize-money, rather than staying at home and getting £4,000 for winning a maiden.”

Destructive has enjoyed the warmer weather in the Middle East for over three weeks, in contrast to the cold winds blowing across Newmarket heath. Bell added, “He flew out on January 5 and has had plenty of time to acclimatise, and we’ve got Ben Coen on board, who knows the track very well and has been riding a lot of winners for Michael Costa.”