Strength in depth for trainer in Arabian World Cup bid

Julian Smart has named seven horses for his attempt at retaining title, while tough draw for Orfevre in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Orfevre has a tough draw for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Julian Smart has gone all out in an effort to defend his title in the Qatar Arabian World Cup by declaring seven horses for the Longchamp Purebred Arabian showpiece tomorrow.

Last season Smart scooped the Arabian World Cup with Areej, who lines up once more, and the mount of Stephane Pasquier will be joined in the Group 1 contest by four others who will carry the silks of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa.

Recent Newbury winners Rathowan and Mkeefa, Mu'azzaz, and Aziz all take to the turf alongside Smart's others of Asraa Min Albarq and Jaafer, the 2010 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner.

"I ran four in it last year so I figured I should try a bit harder. To be honest with you, all of them have claims. If they weren't good enough they wouldn't be there," Smart told The National.

Smart's cohort helps to swell the bumper field, which includes TM Fred Texas, this year's Dubai Kahayla Classic winner, and all 20 runners have been entered for the opportunity to obtain a slice of the impressive purse.

Although there are seven Group 1 thoroughbred races on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe card, the Qatar Arabian World Cup is the second most valuable race of the day behind the Arc with €700,000 (Dh3.29 million) up for grabs.

Trainers often find it difficult to relate which horse they fancy out of their string, either hiding behind a screen of pretence or are simply too close to their charges to be able to make an objective judgement call.

In private Smart felt that Areej had the better chance than Mkeefa when the two clashed in the Group 1 Hatta International at Newbury last month, but it was the latter who came with a supercharged run to push Areej into third.

Areej has not won in the 12 months since her triumph in Paris and although Smart still has faith in the seven year old it was Neil Callan's decision to ride Mkeefa, who was supplemented, that was the obvious indicator as to which horse is the likeliest winner of the septet.

"Mkeefa is very talented but very young," Smart, who teamed up with Pasquier to win the Qatar Arabian Trophy at Saint Cloud with Djainka Des Forges yesterday, said.

"I feel that Areej is a stronger mare but Mkeefa has been proving me wrong every step of the way so far."I can't put my finger on it why Areej has not been performing.

"She's an older Arabian mare and they are very temperamental.

"Neil has ridden both horses although he feels there is nothing wrong with Areej he thinks that Mkeefa is simply better."

Yesterday also saw the final declarations for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and Mickael Barzalona is to partner Masterstroke, owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Masterstroke was handed a horror of a draw in stall 17, one in from the widest starting stall from which Orfevre, the Japanese raider, will emerge. A wide draw is naturally a significant drawback over the course of 1m 4f although Dalakhani won from stall 14 in 2003 and Godolphin's Sakhee emerged from stall 15 to win in 2001.

Barzalona has ridden Masterstroke twice, the latest when the pair teamed up to win the Grand Prix de Deauville in August.

Masterstroke, trained by Andre Fabre, will run in the silks of Godolphin SNC, the French arm of the worldwide operation in the event.