African Story will face eight rivals in his bid to defend his crown when the world's richest race, the Dubai World Cup, is run at Meydan Racecourse on March 28.
His trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, will have a second runner in the US$10 million (Dh36.7m) race, with Prince Bishop also entered. Bin Suroor, the Godolphin trainer, will be seeking his seventh victory in the race, the final event on Dubai World Cup night.
The UAE will be represented by a third runner in the form of Doug Watson’s American import Candy Boy.
The US will rely on horse-of-the-year California Chrome and Lea, the Donn Handicap runner-up.
RELATED
– Plan for Designs On Rome weighs on trip to Dubai for World Cup night
– California Chrome shipping out for Dubai World Cup night
Japan also will have two horses, Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, who sent Victoire Pisa to the Gulf to win the World Cup in 2011, and Hokko Tarumae, who was last 12 months ago on the Tapeta surface which has since been replaced by dirt.
With former American horse Ron The Greek, who has been racing in Saudi Arabia, and British challenger Side Glance the only other horses entered it will be the smallest group of horses to take part in the World Cup since Invasor beat six others in 2007. Eight horses ran in 1999 and nine the year before, the other two occasions the field has been in single figures.
Despite the lack of numbers in Dubai’s feature event, eight of the nine runners in the World Cup are Group 1 winners, a fact not lost on the Dubai Racing Club’s Martin Talty.
“We are very happy with the fields that have been lined up for races on Dubai World Cup day this year,” the international manager said. “Across the entire card we have 31 Group or Grade 1 winners from 12 countries and we look forward to a huge day of racing for the 20th renewal of the world’s richest race day.”
Despite a substantial increase in prize money, from $5m to $6m, to the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf, both turf races will have fields of modest size.
According to final projected fields released yesterday by the Dubai Racing Club, the Dubai Sheema Classic will have 10 runners and the Dubai Turf will have 11.
Only in 2012 have there been so few runners in the Sheema Classic, and the most recent year when the Dubai Turf had fewer than 11 was 2005.
Reynaldothewizard will not defend his title in the Dubai Golden Shaheen; Satish Seemar’s nine-year-old was missing from the entries to the $2m dirt sprint.
Reynaldothewizard has won both starts this season, including the Al Shindagha Sprint last month, but missed Super Saturday.
Five Group 1 winners have been entered for the 1,200-metre dash, with 2012 Golden Shaheen victor Krypton Factor back for more after finding Reynaldothewizard too good in the Al Shindagha.
American Grade 1 winners Big Macher and Secret Circle have been charged with returning the Golden Shaheen to the US for the first time since Benny The Bull in 2008. Hong Kong raiders Lucky Nine and Rich Tapestry will also run.
Hong Kong’s Amber Sky is a confirmed runner in the Al Quoz Sprint, and will defend the title he won in record time last season alongside fellow Hong Kong runners Bundle Of Joy and Peniaphobia.
Amber Sky is one of three Group 1 winners in the race, with Sole Power and Mike de Kock’s Via Africa the only other victors at the highest level.
Prize money for the nine races on March 28 has been raised to $29,250,000, as the Dubai World Cup remains the sport’s richest day.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
