One of the richest race meetings in the world takes place this Saturday. Dubai World Cup Day, usually on Lincoln Handicap weekend, has been moved due to the timing of Eid but organisers have made sure there are no major TV clashes with the Grand National.
The $30 million meeting, $12m of which is set aside for the big race, features nine races in all. We start with a pure-bred Arabian event before eight thoroughbred races between 1.10 and 5.30 UK time. This is a very high-class event, these being our best bets.
1:10 – Dubai Gold Cup
This is a Group 2 race over two miles, worth over £464,000 to the winner.
There’s a slight concern that John & Thady Gosden’s TRAWLERMAN didn’t put in his best seasonal performance in this event last year, but he remains a class act. He is consistent, solid at this trip and is a very high-profile stayer.
The German-trained Straight could come on for being upped to two miles but has shown better form on softer ground. He could be the danger, while with respect so many of the others are much of a muchness on the numbers, save for some sudden improvement.
2:20 – Al Quoz Sprint
Put simply; AUDIENCE is the best horse in this race. What punters have to decide is whether he can sprint and whether he is on a going day.
When he runs well, he’s genuinely top class and reached a mark of 124 last year. For reference, Notable Speech and City Of Troy were given 121 for their Classic wins.
Believing and West Acre may appreciate going back to five furlongs. The Gosden horse, at least, is the value in the race.
3:00 – UAE Derby
It’s hard to quantify the form of the Japanese runners, but on known evidence they may come up a little short against FLOOD ZONE.
Purchased by Wathnan Racing, the Brad Cox-trained colt won the Gotham Stakes in good style. They’ve waited for this, and a nice win would get Flood Zone into the Kentucky Derby line-up and with a good chance too.
4:15 – Dubai Turf
We have no bet here, but this race deserves a special mention. Numerous runners could reach a very high level and that means it’s worth watching and remembering for later. Romantic Warrior, Nations Pride, Ghostwriter, Brede Weg, Soul Rush and Liberty Island could all put in proper Group 1 performances.
4:50 – Sheema Classic
Another absolute cracker is in store in this one-and-a-half mile, £2.7m event. Shin Emperor could really be top class, but he’s not certain to reach the same level as last time.
Calandagan is another. If he runs like he did in the Juddmonte, this is over. He was rather dragged along by a very special horse that day however and was beaten in the Champion Stakes. Before that, he bullied those in his own age group.
REBELS ROMANCE is a real steady Eddie and at a very high level too. Odds of 3/1 for him isn’t massive in such a race, but it’s value enough and he’s the one we’d chance. Durezza, Giavellotto, Cervinia and Danon Decile are all worth a mention too.
5:30 – Dubai World Cup
These extremely valuable dirt races often aren’t as good as they could be, but this looks high class. Forever Young, the odds-on shot from Japan, is of course very strong but he can be taken on.
IMPERIAL EMPEROR looked on debut a few years back like a real top-notcher on the turf for Charlie Appleby. It’s taken a while for him to find his niche, but he’s done that on the dirt for last year’s World Cup winning trainer Bhupat Seemar.
He won in easy style last time and has lots more to come. It’s interesting to note that Seemar also got a great tune out of another former Appleby runner, Walk Of Stars, to win a Group 1 recently on dirt, but Tadgh O’Shea has readily chosen to ride Imperial Emperor. He may quickly become a double World Cup-winning rider.