The Dubai World Cup has attracted a stellar field of 14 Group or Grade 1 winners for the silver jubilee running of the race at Meydan on March 27.
A total of 117 horses from 11 countries will compete across a spectacular day of racing for a total prize fund of $26.5 million across nine races that features six Group 1 and three Group 2 contests.
The $12m Group 1 Dubai World Cup held over 2,000m will have a 14-strong line up headed by the USA-based Godolphin runner Mystic Guide, the highest-rated horse in the field and trained by Michael Stidham.
Mystic Guide is one of three Godolphin-owned runners in the field along with Saeed bin Suroor’s Gifts of Gold and French trainer Andre Fabre’s Magny Cours, who is making his dirt debut in the Dubai World Cup.
Challenging Godolphin’s trio in the race are American raiders including the 2021 Pegasus World Cup runner-up, Jesus’ Team, for trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo and the Miguel Angel Silva’s Grade 2 winner Sleepy Eyes Todd.
Completing the US line-up is Dallas Stewart’s Title Ready, winner of January’s Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes.
Ryuji Okuba’s Grade 1 Champions Cup winner Chuwa Wizard carries Japan’s hopes while Uruguay’s Ajuste Fiscal lines-up for trainer Antonio Cintra.
Bahraini handler, Fawzi Nass saddles a first Dubai World Cup runner with Salute The Soldier, whose route to the Dubai World Cup included victory in two out of the three traditional Dubai prep races – the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over 1,900m and the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 over the trip and track.
Abdullah Mishriff's Great Scot, third in The Saudi Cup last month, flies the flag for Saudi Arabia.
Japanese trainer Takashi Saito’s champion mare Chrono Genesis heads the list in the $6m Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
She lines-up against Aidan O’Brien’s dual Group 1 winner Mogul, the Bill Mott trained four-time Group 1 winner Channel Maker and John Gosden’s Saudi Cup hero Mishriff.
The $4m Group 1 Dubai Turf features a strong UK contingent, with Lord North winner of the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes from the Gosden yard, David O’Meara’s Lord Glitters, victor of the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday, and Michael Stoute’s Regal Reality as well as Simon Crisford’s pair Court House and Epic Hero.
The Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen boasts a multi-national field including the Doug O’Neill trained Wildman Jack, winner of the 2020 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.
Hideyuki Mori’s Pink Kamehameha will be seeking victory in the Group 2 UAE Derby, having already landed the Saudi equivalent.
Stablemate France Go De Ina and the Yukihiro Kato’s Takeru Pegasus complete a powerful Japanese presence in the race while the Dubai World Cup Carnival star El Patriota prepared by Cintra represents Uruguay.
The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint features Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby's Space Blues. He arrives fresh from victory in The Saudi Cup's Turf Sprint.
Testing their staying power in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup are Mark Johnston’s Group 1 Prix Royal Oak-winner Subjectivist, Germany’s Ralf Rohne’s Walderbe, Andrew Balding’s Spanish Mission and Red Verdon trained by Ed Dunlop.
The Godolphin Mile is headed by the Curlin Stakes winner Parsimony and include Saudi raider Urban Icon, and Doug Watson’s trio of Midnight Sands, Premier Star and Golden Goal.
Satish Seemar also sends out three – Secret Ambition, Roman Rosso and Tuz. The Salem bin Ghadayer trained Blown By The Wind lines-up alongside Japan’s Dieu Du Vin and the Bin Suroor’s Dubai Mirage.
The Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic has drawn an impressive list of some of the world’s best Purebred Arabians.
They include Group 1 winner Elisabeth Bernard’s Hajres, Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 winner and track record holder, RB Frynchh Dude trained by Emirati Helal Alalawi and the Didier Guillemin’s Deryan, winner of the 2020 The President of the UAE Cup at Deauville.
Also lining-up are Saudi trainer Mutlaq bin Mushreef pair Mubasher Al Khalediah and Mutawakel Al Khalediah, winner and runner up respectively in the Obaiya Arabian Classic in the Saudi Cup meeting.
