Sport | Horse Racing
American raiders to arrive in Dubai today
A record number of horses from America will compete in the $21,250,000 Dubai World Cup meeting, the world's richest day of racing, at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse on March 25.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:32 May 3, 2009
Dubai: A record number of horses from America will compete in the $21,250,000 Dubai World Cup meeting, the world's richest day of racing, at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse on March 25.
Nineteen horses, the largest American contingent in the 10-year history of the Dubai World Cup, will arrive at Dubai International Airport today.
Among the raiding party is the William 'Buff' Bradley-trained Brass Hat, winner of his last three starts, the latest being a win in the Donn Handicap (Gr.1), a race won by the great Cigar en route to his victory in the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996.
Along with Brass Hat, the other runners in the $6,000,000 Dubai World Cup (Gr.1), the world's richest race, sponsored by Emirates, flying in from America will be the Jeremy Noseda-trained Wilko, winner of the 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Gr.1), Super Frolic, trained by Vladimir Cerin, Todd Pletcher's Magna Graduate and Choctaw Nation, who was third in this race a year ago.
Richard Mandella, winning trainer of the 2004 Dubai World Cup, is sending The Tin Man for the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (Gr.), sponsored by the Dubai Duty Free.
Fellow American challengers in the Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1), the second leg of the Asian Mile Challenge, will be last year's Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1) runner-up Whilly, from the Doug O'Neill stable, and Pletcher's Chilean-bred Host.
The $5,000,000 Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1), sponsored by Nakheel, which along with the Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1) is the richest turf race in the world, has attracted two American challengers; Mustanfar, trained by former UAE champion trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and the Christophe Clement-trained Relaxed Gesture.
McLaughlin is also bringing the Argentinean-bred Invasor to run in the $2,000,000 UAE Derby (Gr.2), sponsored by Saeed and Mohammad Al Naboudah Group.
Invasor, winner of all five of his career starts in Uruguay, will be joined by Dante Zanelli-trained Dominguin in the UAE Derby (Gr.2).
Five American challengers will run in the $2,000,000 Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1), sponsored by Gulf News, over the straight 1,200 metres including Malibu Stakes (Gr.1) winner Proud Tower Too, trained by Sal Gonzalez.
Julio Canani, who has saddled seven runners over the years at the Dubai World Cup meeting, runs Island Fashion in the $1,000,000 Godolphin Mile (Gr.2), sponsored by Jebel Ali International Hotels.
Eoin Harty, who was assistant trainer to Bob Baffert the year that Silver Charm won the Dubai World Cup, will be represented by Shamoan in the Godolphin Mile.
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