The strong American entry for Dubai World Cup night has delighted the Dubai Racing Club.
When nominations for the March 28 extravaganza were announced on Tuesday there were 97 horses from the US entered across the eight thoroughbred races and a single entry for the Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians.
The US$10 million (Dh36.7m) Dubai World Cup has attracted 24 American runners, with the Dubai Golden Shaheen receiving 14 entries.
There were also 10 in the UAE Derby and a nomination of 17 in the Godolphin Mile, all of which will be staged on dirt.
The first seven home in the Breeders’ Cup Classic have been handed an entry, headed by Bayern, who beat UAE Derby winner Toast Of New York by inches at Santa Anita in November but is an unlikely runner in Dubai.
“I believe this is the strongest group of entries we have had for the Dubai World Cup meeting in its 20 years history,” Dubai Racing Club’s international manager Martin Talty said.
“The strength of the USA challenge is evident with the first seven over the line in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
Should Bayern in fact make the trip, he would bid to hand Bob Baffert a third World Cup win after Silver Charm in 1998 and Captain Steve in 2001.
Graham Motion, who prepared Animal Kingdom for his 2013 victory in the world’s most valuable race, has entered the US champion older male and turf horse Main Sequence.
Japan provided the first two in the Longines World Rankings last week and have made a strong entry for Dubai.
Katsuhiko Sumii could be another former World Cup winner to have a runner in the World Cup, but Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia looks set to contest the Dubai Sheema Classic, which has been upgraded along with the Dubai Turf to a purse of US$6m.
Epiphaneia heads a cast of 75 horses entered from Japan, while Britain has 117 entries, South Africa 72 and Ireland 43.
With local runners performing so well on the dirt during the opening fixtures of the Dubai World Cup Carnival it is no surprise the UAE have entered 1559 runners.
Saeed bin Suroor’s African Story has been pencilled in for a defence of his World Cup crown, while Charlie Appleby’s exciting South American recruit Sir Fever has an array of entries, which include for the World Cup, Dubai Sheema Classic, Dubai Turf and UAE Derby.
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