After a long, hot gruelling summer, things in the Emirates will step up a gear as work riders and other racing staff return from their holidays ready for a new season.

Most employees are expected to saddle up on August 1 to begin the process of getting their four-legged friends fit for the 2008-09 season. Some however, including Erwan Charpy, tend to leave their charges a little longer and most are not sat upon until the middle of next month.

A typical preparation regime consists of two to three weeks walking and trotting, before gradually stepping up to steady hacks and canters for a further three weeks. Finally horses get the chance to stretch their legs, and, depending on the individual, often stride along over approximately 800 metres for the last leg of the process. The whole term usually lasts around 12 to 14 weeks – injuries excluded.

First-time visitors to any race course probably have very little knowledge of, or are unable to appreciate, how much effort it takes to achieve such a spectacular sporting event, and I’m not just talking about the racecourse manager or groundsman.

Let’s take an example from last week’s July meeting from Newmarket.

A fantastic opening day for Tom Dascombe following his initial Group success as a trainer, when Classic Blade cut through the 1,200m straight in vintage style, soon turned into an unbelievable two days after the Lambourn-based handler saddled his second Pattern winner in as many days courtesy of Firth Of Fifth.

Having saddled his 12th European Group One winner of the 2008 season courtesy of Mount Nelson in the Eclipse last Saturday, Aidan O’Brien is understandably going to feature quite prominently in the trade press headlines, but while the achievements by the team at Ballydoyle in Ireland are astounding, it’s easy to forget what a remarkable record the Dubai-based Godolphin also boast.

However, not to be overshadowed by their main rivals, the team of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in the royal blue corner recently published a list reminding people of the great success they have also enjoyed over the years, on their hugely informative and popular website. Here are a few facts and figures.

• Since 1994, 140 thoroughbreds have romped to a Group/Grade One success, and in total, those famous blue colours have finished first no less than 1,254 times.
• Of the 178 jockeys to have ridden for the stable, no surprise to see that Frankie Dettori has steered the most to victory with 626 winners to date, 92 at Group level.
• Cutwater holds the distinction of being the first horse to represent the yard on Christmas Eve at Nad Al Sheba in 1994. Unfortunately it was not a winning start.

I strongly recommend you look at www.godolphin.com for up-to-date news, stats and special features.

When Clare Balding interrupted coverage of the Hickstead Derby on Sunday to inform viewers that Ryan Moore had been fined Dh5,800 following an ‘altercation’ with a member of race course staff at the Curragh, I was sure the presenter had been given duff information. It’s hard enough to get a word out of the former British champion jockey; therefore, a fine for allegedly displaying ‘violent or improper conduct’ seems almost impossible.

However, I was wrong and after a gateman failed to allow the calm and collected Moore into a specific area of the course, the jockey quite rightly took offence. That’s the trouble with freelance race course staff; they are simply drafted in to help staff the big race meetings and have almost no idea what the game is all about.

If the likes of, let’s say, Lester Piggott, or John Magnier don’t have the correct pass or colour coded badge for a certain area, would it be right to refuse them entry?

I wonder what price Ahmad Ajtebi would have been to make his first ride at Royal Ascot a winning one?

Defying the odds in no uncertain terms, and creating a piece of history, Ajtebi became the first Emirati jockey to ride a winner at the most prestigious racing festival in the world in the Buckingham Palace Stakes on Dandy Nicholls’ Regal Parade.

With a bulging $8 million dollar purse over five days, it is understandable that Royal Ascot is fast becoming a truly international sporting event.

We’re now at the midway stage and there is still some fantastic action to look forward to over the next three days. Today’s Ascot Gold Cup looks a typically mouth-watering renewal with Aidan O’Brien’s Yeats bidding to secure his third victory in the race.

He will surely take plenty of beating, but I have a sneaky feeling that last year’s second, Geordieland will reverse the placings this time round.

I was so pleased to see New Approach come home first in the Epsom Derby last Saturday. The scenes shared by all in the winner’s enclosure were something many will never experience again.

Head groom Pat O’Donovan was understandably ecstatic and, as he fought back the tears, it was clear that exercise rider Adrian Taylor’s dream had now become a reality.

Jim Bolger, the winning handler, had been subject to much unfair criticism prior to the weekend showpiece. I offered my opinion on the situation in last week’s XPRESS and it was great that Mr Bolger was able to give a thumbs-up to those that knocked him. His decision was obviously well vindicated.

I am disappointed with all the stick Irish handler Jim Bolger is receiving over the U-turn on running his stable star, New Approach in Saturday’s Epsom Derby.

So what if he changed his mind? He’s perfectly entitled to. He is, of course, responsible for the training of the horse on a day-to-day basis and not for appeasing the European betting public, as many would lead you to believe.

Horse racing, especially in Britain and Ireland, seems to revolve around betting, and while it is obviously a major factor to keep the industry afloat, quite often trainers come under close scrutiny if they do not keep members of the public informed on the well-being of members of their string for reasons of ante-post betting.

As I’ve mentioned in this column previously, Dubai has fast become a stepping stone for thoroughbreds continuing their racing careers with great success on the international stage, but after attending several race meetings last week, it seems the jockeys are also doing a good job of flying the flag for the UAE.

OK, he wasn’t born in the Emirates, but Keagan Latham, who displayed great talent in the saddle last season, especially on the purebred Arabians, was in winning form at Leopardstown and Tipperary last week, and with two other visits to the winner’s enclosure for trainer, Ger Lyons, he has certainly continued the progression he showed during the winter, and is undoubtedly a jockey to keep a close eye on for the future.

One rider, who seems to be getting better with age, is the veteran (but youthful in looks!) Kevin Shea, who was out of luck at Haydock on the perhaps aptly-named Spirit Of Sharjah, but was in the saddle at Yarmouth yesterday and also partners Mike de Kock’s first runner of the UK season at Sandown tonight on Thundering Star. The fact that top handlers such as Clive Brittain and Peter Chapple-Hyam have already put him up suggest the riding talents of the evergreen Shea look finally to be getting recognised.

It’s phenomenal to think that plans to build the world’s biggest and best racecourse city were unveiled just 14 months ago as, judging by the Meydan website, construction appears to be racing on.

In racing’s most eagerly anticipated project, as usual Dubai sets the standard and come the 2010 World Cup meeting, all eyes will be firmly focused on the most elaborate track since Ascot revamped its course three years ago.

With such a gigantic mission, there are going to be several changes around the current Nad Al Sheba site, and the small 1,400-metre-round training gallop will shortly be closed as the bulldozers begin a new phase of the multi-million dollar showpiece.