All Eyes On Dubai Extravaganza

The racing world's eyes once again turn to Meydan on Saturday for the 23rd running of the Dubai World Cup. The world's richest race, however, is far from the sole attraction on the card, with the $35-million up for grabs across nine races ensuring that some of the best horses from all corners of the globe have flocked to the desert.

The night's most major attraction may just be the Japanese superstar filly Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the $6-million G1 Dubai Turf, but formidable foes from Europe, Hong Kong and the UAE will do their best to ensure her task is not easy. Godolphin's Royal Ascot-winning sprinter Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) looks to have a stranglehold on the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, while the same stable's 2018 G1 Melbourne Cup victor Cross Counter (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) makes his eagerly awaited return in the night's first Thoroughbred race, the G2 Dubai Gold Cup. Yet another favourite for Charlie Appleby is the 3-year-old filly Divine Image, who looks to stamp herself as the next great Scat Daddy with another win over the colt's in the G2 UAE Derby.

The card builds to a crescendo, with the 13-horse Dubai World Cup bringing it to a close. The race has a cosmopolitan history that is once again reflected in this year's lineup, with a strong local contingent backed up by intriguing contenders from America and the East. Defending winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) has prepared for his tilt at a repeat in similar fashion to last year, by finishing runner-up in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3. Whereas the Saeed bin Suroor trainee, who is drawn out in 12, was making the third start of his campaign on Super Saturday last year, he was first-up three weeks ago and connections were taking plenty of positives from his second to the runaway winner Capezzano (Bernardini).

“This has been his target since the Breeders' Cup in November,” bin Suroor said. “The plan was always to wait for Super Saturday, when he pleased us to put him spot on for Saturday. We have been very pleased with his work and he is in great form. We would have preferred a lower draw but he was drawn wide last year.”

Thunder Snow looks for his third straight win on this card, having taken the G2 UAE Derby in 2017.

The aforementioned 5-year-old gelding Capezzano has been nothing short of a revelation this season and he is to be ignored at one's peril. Three-for-three since the turn of the calendar, the Salem bin Ghadayer charge won Round 3 by 9 ½ lengths and is simply a different animal than the one that was beaten 22 lengths on this day a year ago in the G2 Godolphin Mile.

Another local commanding respect is Satish Seemar's North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The bay blew all chances in this race last year when missing the start and throwing off his front-running tactics, but he has done everything right this campaign, winning Rounds 1 and 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge on Jan. 10 and Feb. 7. Seemar said his team has worked with the horse this season to try their best to ensure he breaks cleanly.

“We've learned from our mistakes, and will be leaving a handler in the stalls and taking his ear plugs off,” Seemar said. “We've educated him with the noise, we've taken him for schooling with the music blasting and it doesn't bother him. We've got a good draw and normally if he jumps out well it's 'catch me if you can'. Overall for his age he's quite a lightly raced horse and it's an open race.”

While the American contingent lacks a real standout this year, it is not at all short of intrigue. Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) displayed just what a Thoroughbred should be capable of last summer when collecting Grade Is in America on both turf and dirt, and he was an admirable fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He failed to fire over the soft going as the favourite in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 26, but rarely does he run a bad race.

A similar ownership group sends out Audible (Into Mischief), a Grade I-winning 3-year-old last year who has been a shade disappointing in two starts this season, one of those, however, being in the deplorable conditions of the GI Pegasus World Cup. WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden was on hand to watch the colt train at Meydan on Friday morning, however, and he declared it was the “best I've ever seen him go.”

“He went well, he looked happy. You like to see them happy and bright and it doesn't always go that way,” said Walden. “When you come this far, it is a bit of relief. Hopefully he can come back to himself a little bit. His last race was disappointing, the last two races really, but hopefully he'll come back to himself here.”

Chuck Fipke's Seeking The Soul (Perfect Soul) cut an admirable run through the slop to be second in the Pegasus, and the ever-consistent 6-year-old looks to go better for his owner/breeder and trainer Dallas Stewart than the Grade I-winning mare Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song), who was fifth last year after sitting well off the pace.

“You can't get too far behind on this track, because you're not going to make up ground and it's 'see you next year,'” Stewart said. “Forever Unbridled did not get a good trip.

“I think we're ready,” Stewart said. “I like the way he's training. I like his attitude. He's very bold about himself. It's like going into a heavyweight fight. You have to be ready. You're stepping into the big arena. And, everyone is watching. You have to have the horse with the right attitude. He has the right presence about him to handle himself on the big stage. He's been on the big stage before. The Pegasus is a big stage. The Clark is a big stage. Same with the Breeders' Cup. He's a big stage horse and can prove that on one of the biggest stages Saturday.”

Once the 13 runners for the World Cup, $23-million in purses will already have been distributed. Here is a race-by-race snapshot of the action.

Dubai Turf

By Emma Berry

The once-beaten Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) has added more than a dash of star appeal to this year's Dubai World Cup meeting and is understandably a red-hot favourite for the G1 Dubai Turf. The Japan Cup winner faces a threat from two of her compatriots, the 2017 winner and last year's runner-up Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who was third 12 months ago.

Both Almond Eye and Vivlos have French jockeys on board–Christophe Lemaire and Mickael Barzalona respectively–while Brazilian Joao Moreira will replace Lemaire on Deirdre.

Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been spotless in three starts at Meydan through the carnival and will bid to give Saeed Bin Suroor and Godolphin back-to-back wins in the Turf.

“He has done nothing but improve this year and is showing the kind of form we always believed him capable of. Saturday's race is his toughest yet but we are very happy with him,” said Bin Suroor.

Dream Castle had the measure of the Charlie Appleby-trained Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the G1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday and the pair will face off once more, with the fourth place in that race, Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), taking his place in the field for Simon Crisford.

John and Tanya Gunther's homebred Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has already proved his talent with his G1 St James's Palace S. victory last year but he is on something of a comeback mission after some relatively disappointing efforts since last June. He has clearly wintered well and has matured physically. It would be no surprise to see him run a big race fresh.

Fellow British traveller Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) has the G1 Lockinge S. as his spring target at home, according to trainer David O'Meara, and he is another coming into this race without a prep run, while I Can Fly (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was an eight-length winner at Dundalk earlier this month, following on from her neck defeat by Roaring Lion in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and subsequent below-par effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

The Caspar Fownes-trained Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) has arrived in Dubai with some solid performances under his belt at Sha Tin this winter and he will not lack match fitness. He will have help from the saddle of a fellow-Australian-bred, Hong Kong's leading jockey Zac Purton and has drawn gate number one.

“We obviously need every advantage to be able to beat the filly, so the draw is a good step in the right direction,” said Fownes. “It gives Zac options–he's won leading before, he's won coming from last and he's performed well everywhere in between. I'm pretty confident we will grab a slice of the prize-money, but what position, it's hard to know. There is a lot of class in this field.”

Dubai Sheema Classic

By Kelsey Riley

The Dubai Turf isn't the only race in which the Japanese have a legitimate winning shot. Group 1 winners Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Cheval Grand (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) line up off a second and third, respectively, in the G1 Arima Kinen on Dec. 23, and they look to emulate Heart's Cry himself, Gentildonna (Jpn) and Stay Gold (Jpn) as Japanese-trained winners of this 2400-metre race. Rey de Oro, the 2017 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner, proved he maintains his form with wins last fall in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn and G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S., and he was fourth in this last year behind Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy). Cheval Grand, who bested Rey de Oro in the 2017 G1 Japan Cup, looks for his first win since and retains the services of Hugh Bowman.

Godolphin is doubly represented here with the G2 Dubai City of Gold one-two Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby and Racing History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) for Saeed bin Suroor. Old Persian looks like a proper stayer in the making, having retained his form after a 3-year-old campaign that included wins in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot and the G2 Great Voltigeur S. over the subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter.

“Three to four is a formative year for any horse and he has shown us on his only start this year what to expect, and what he needed to do to compete at the highest level as a 4-year-old,” Appleby said. “I have been really happy with how he has gone since Super Saturday and the plan was to run here and then go back to Europe where hopefully he will be one of our flagbearers for 2019.”

Racing History, a 7-year-old lightly raced full-brother to productive Darley sire Farhh (GB), has had a useful if slightly frustrating campaign, being placed on all four runs including two short-head misses in group company.

Third in the City of Gold was David Simcock's Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling), who was first-up off a win in the GI Canadian International in October.

Aidan O'Brien relies on the filly Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the well-traveled Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) as he looks for a second win in the race following the victory of St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) in 2013. Magic Wand looked like she could be anything last summer when taking Royal Ascot's G2 Ribblesdale S. by four lengths, but a couple of tame efforts behind Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) followed before she redeemed herself somewhat with a pair of runner-up efforts in the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l'Opera. She slogged home second over the heavy going in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 26.

Hunting Horn also won at Royal Ascot last year, taking the G3 Hampton Court S., and he has logged plenty of air miles already this year in search of a first win since. He traveled to Gulfstream Park with Magic Wand and checked in third in the GIII W.L. McKnight S., and filled the same position in the Feb. 23 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar. Both races were over this trip.

Al Quoz Sprint

By Alan Carasso

Twelve months on from having to be withdrawn at the barriers owing to blood coming out of his nostrils, Godolphin's Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) looms as one of the evening's shortest-priced favourites in Saturday's US$2-million G1 Al Quoz Sprint up the 1200m straight track at Meydan.

Bouncing back to cause a mild upset over Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot last June, Blue Point could do no better than third in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. in August and connections called time on the season. He resumed with a towering five-length success in the five-furlong G2 Meydan Sprint, going one better than he did last season, and enters this on the back of a facile three-length defeat of Ekhtiyaar (GB) (Bated Breath {Ire}) in the G3 Nad al Sheba Turf Sprint over Saturday's trip Mar. 9.

Australian-based gallopers have won the Al Quoz twice in the last seven runnings–Testa Rossa (Aus)'s daughter Ortensia (Aus) in 2012 and Buffering (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) in 2016. Brave Smash (Jpn) (Tosen Stardom {Jpn}), campaigned by the Australian Bloodstock syndicate, was second to Viddora (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) in the G1 Moir S. at the oddly-configured Moonee Valley last September before landing the same track's G1 Manikato S. with Hugh Bowman at the controls two starts later. He's been very good without winning in his current four-race preparation and exits a very good third when giving 15 pounds to the 3-year-old filly Sunlight (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}), who has since added the G1 William Reid S.

Two-time GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) is drawn furthest from the stands in gate one as he tries to improve on his narrow loss at the hooves of Jungle Cat (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Since gutting it out at Churchill last November, he could do no better than second to Caribou Club (City Zip) in the GIII Joe Hernandez S. at Santa Anita Jan. 1 and though he missed in a Feb. 22 allowance going five-eighths, he took an awkward step at the quarter pole that almost certainly cost him the win.

Amber Sky (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Joy and Fun (NZ) (Cullen {Aus) have won the Al Quoz for Hong Kong and Wishful Thinker (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) represents the Bauhinia this time. A progressive sort with wins in four of his last five starts, he has a versatile running style, should be suited by the straight six furlongs and is favourably drawn stands' side in barrier 13.

Dubai Golden Shaheen

By Daithi Harvey

A field of nine sprinters now go to post for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with the scratching of Roy H (More Than Ready) due to a foot abscess taking some of the gloss off the $2.5-million contest. Last year Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) led home an American-trained clean sweep of the placings that included both Roy H and the runner-up X Y Jet (Kantharos), and the Jorge Navarro-trained grey returns for a third attempt at the race. Beaten a head and a neck on his previous two efforts at Meydan, X Y Jet proved his recent well-being when easily outclassing overmatched foes in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park last month. The 7-year-old has yet to win at the highest level, though, and will break from stall three on Saturday.

“I'd love to have drawn between four and seven but he's quick enough for the inside so we will see,” his trainer said earlier in the week. “He's not the fastest out of the gate, but his second step is when he gathers up and takes off. He's showed up here twice already. What Mind Your Biscuits did here last year after stumbling out of the gate was out of this world. That was a super horse. Take him out of the race and now where do you put my horse? He has to be right there on Saturday.”

Even if it isn't third time lucky for X Y Jet there is every chance this race is for export to the U.S. as Luis Caraval Jr's Imperial Hint (Imperialism) is strongly fancied despite a surprising reversal last time out when a well-beaten third when odds-on favourite in the Pelican S. at Tampa Bay Downs last month. However, the 6-year-old entire is a dual Grade I winner and his victory in the GI Vosburgh S. at Belmont last September is still fresh in the memory.

Another American Grade I winner in the lineup is the Dale Romans-trained Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford). He hasn't run since finishing fourth to Roy H in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs last November, but proved he belongs in this league when he won the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga last summer. Tato Key (Arg) (Key Deputy) bids to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Golden Shaheen and the former South American star has acquitted himself well in his two starts in Meydan for trainer David Marnane and owner Zhang Yuesheng. He finished second and third to another of Saturday's rivals Drafted (Field Commission {Can}) in Group 3 events and while further improvement is necessary to score, the colt has the scope to do so. “Tato Key is in good nick,” Marnane said earlier in the week as he observed the 4-year-old's track work. “That was a nice relaxed canter and I'm very happy with him.”

Meanwhile, Drafted's trainer Doug Watson is under no illusions over the task faced by his progressive 5-year-old as he tackles a Group 1 for the first time. “I think if he gets a clean trip, he'll be closing,” Watson said. “Whether he's good enough to close on this group, I don't know, but he has a will to win. He really sticks his head out there. He's got the fastest time over the track this year and he hasn't had to ship halfway across the world so there's a lot of positives. I think he's good enough to be in this group,” Watson added.

Fight Hero (GB) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) represents Hong Kong but appears to have a lot on his plate having been plying his trade unsuccessfully in handicap company on his recent starts, while the same could also be said about Japanese challenger Matera Sky (Speightstown), who has Yutaka Take aboard.

UAE Derby

By Emma Berry

As visual impressions go, it will be hard for any runner in this year's G2 UAE Derby to beat that made by last year's runaway winner Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). By the same sire is the favourite and one of four fillies in the race, Divine Image, whose most recent victory was almost as impressive when she delivered a seven-length trouncing of her rivals in the Listed Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has noted a perceived mental fragility at this nascent stage of her career, which is leading him away from the idea of a GI Kentucky Oaks raid in May, but whatever her future holds, she has already been noteworthy in her three victories from only four starts.

“She is a work in progress,” said Appleby during Thursday's Breakfast With The Stars. “She has not been the sharpest from the gates but she is just inexperienced and has been maturing. On her last start against the colts she had a low draw and got out and got racing and got into a nice rhythm. I do think she has improved again since that night. I think she is going to be a strong player on Saturday evening.”

The locally-trained Walking Thunder (Violence) has the same number of wins and starts to his name as Divine Image, with his only reversal coming in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas when second to Godolphin's Estihdaaf (Arch). Frankie Dettori will be given the leg up by trainer Ahmad bin Harmash and the colt's owners in the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate are already dreaming of the Run For The Roses. The same syndicate and trainer have three chances in the Derby as also running in their colours will be dual winner Golden Jaguar (Animal Kingdom), who was third on his last start in the Listed Meydan Classic, and Superior (Majesticperfection), who was runner-up to Divine Image in the Al Bastakiya.

The international flavour is enhanced by challengers from America, Britain, Ireland and Japan. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Van Beethoven, another son of Scat Daddy aiming to follow Mendelssohn's example, was the winner of the G2 Railway S. last term and has had one start this season when fourth in the Listed Patton S. at Dundalk.

William Haggas has honed the obvious talents of Sheikh Hamdan's Jahbath (GB) to near-perfection thus far. The first-crop son of Haggas's former stable star Mukhadram (GB) was beaten a neck on debut last October and has been faultless in four subsequent runs. He coped with the journey to Dubai well and has looked to be thriving at morning trackwork.

Christophe Lemaire potentially has the ride of the day later on the card when Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) takes to the track for the Dubai Turf, but before that he will partner Derma Louvre (Jpn) (Pyro) in the Derby. Trained by Dubai debutant Hirofumi Toda, the colt won last year's Listed Hyogo Junior Grand Prix on the dirt at Sonoda and was third on his comeback over a mile a month ago.

A treble attack from America sees a first World Cup night runner for Brendan Walsh with Plus Que Parfait (Point Of Entry), who was beaten only a neck in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. in November. Peter Miller has suffered the disappointment of having to scratch Roy H (More Than Ready) from the Al Quoz Sprint but he will field Gray Magician (Graydar) in the Derby, while Doug O'Neill is represented by the bonny Stubbins (Morning Line), who has won his last three starts at Santa Anita and has been taking the eye on the track in the mornings.

Dubai Gold Cup

By Emma Berry

Via the mighty Vazirabad (FR) (Manduro {Ger}), France has held the bragging rights to the G2 Dubai Gold Cup in the past three years and looks to have a strong chance of success once more with George Strawbridge's lightly-raced Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The 5-year-old appears to have overcome his youthful quirkiness and has been pleasing Freddy Head in both demeanour and performance at Meydan this week, while his comeback run on Mar. 5 was eye-catching to say the least. He will provide the first ride at the meeting for Aurelien Lemaitre.

Much of the focus leading up to the race has been on the return of G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who will again take on place-getter Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), but Charlie Appleby has also been sounding assured notes with regards to Cross Counter's stable-mate Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was second on his Meydan debut in early January and who has subsequently followed up with two victories over 1m6f, most recently in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, in which he led home the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Red Galileo (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in a 10-length rout.

Gold Mount (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}), who was a Royal Ascot winner under the guise of Primitivo before switching names and countries, represents the Hong Kong-based Richard Gibson, who has been itching to step the 6-year-old up in distance and again has the services of Ryan Moore.

“He's right where you'd want him ahead of him trying a new trip,” said the trainer on Thursday.

Meanwhile, another horse to have moved, this time from Ireland to America, is Yu Long's Platinum Warrior (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who started life under the care of Mick Halford and is now with John Sadler. He comes to the meeting on the back of a last-start strike in the GII San Marcos S. at Santa Anita but is yet to win beyond 10 furlongs.

Godolphin Mile

By Daithi Harvey

The G2 Godolphin Mile kicks off the Thoroughbred action on World Cup Night and last year's winner Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) returns to defend his crown in the $1.5-million contest on the Meydan dirt. The 9-year-old beat Muntazah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by two lengths in the race last year but has been comprehensively overshadowed by that same rival in two of his three starts at Meydan this year and it may be a case that age is beginning to catch up with the 15-time winner. “He's a 9-year-old horse now but we are very happy with him so far,” said his trainer Salem Bin Ghadayer.

Race favourite is the aforementioned Muntazah and deservedly so after his last-out demolition job in the G3 Burj Nahaar over the course and distance Mar. 9. On that occasion he accounted for Good Curry (Tur) (Sharp Humor) by 11 lengths in track-record time with Heavy Metal well back in fourth. The Doug Watson-trained 6-year-old had won the G3 Firebreak S. on his penultimate start and is one of two runners in the race for the trainer who will also saddle the Pat Dobbs-ridden Kimbear (Temple City), who bids to improve on his 2018 sixth-place finish.

“On paper, Muntazah stands out,” Watson said. “He's in good shape, looks great and is very happy. We wanted to stretch him out but he tied up after the Maktoum Challenge. So, we'll get through this race and next year stretch him out and see if he can get the mile and a quarter.” Watson is also optimistic about Kimbear despite a less than ideal preparation. “He's had a couple of issues. He overreached as much as you could out of the gate in the race last year and the foot grew back in a different way on the inside wall. He came out of the first round of the Maktoum Challenge lame, with a quarter crack. We fixed that up and he's coming around now. He's good enough on the night to run a big race.”

On ratings the Todd Pletcher-trained Coal Front (Stay Thirsty) does not have much to find to be involved and with a record of six wins from eight starts including four at graded stakes level he has to be taken seriously. Further optimism can be taken from his smooth preparation and his upbeat trainer, who said, “He's trained impressively like he always does. He's a beautiful horse and we feel like the one-turn mile should suit him perfectly especially backing up off a two-turn race. So we're excited about him.”

Further international intrigue is provided by the Japanese challenger Nonkono Yume (Jpn) (Twining), who despite some disappointing recent efforts is well capable of playing a leading role if recapturing the form that saw him win the G1 February S. at Tokyo 13 months ago. After breezing over the dirt track earlier in the week his trainer Yukihiro Kato said, “Nonkono Yume went a bit fast today, but the track seems to fit him very well, a good match for him. He is training better here than at Miho and I'm very glad we got an inside post [drawn two] for this race.”