Dubai: In a change in order on the racecard, Dubai World Cup night starts with the Godolphin Mile which is a Group 2 race and a great way to get this world’s richest race night underway. With over 8 of the 13 contenders trained here in the UAE there is a strong local presence again this year.
Doug Watson had a 1-2-3 famously last year and the popular American trainer based at Red Stable in Dubai will be very much a force again this year. Second Summer looks to be the pick of his two contenders this year with his narrow second in Round 2 of the Maktoum Challenge being the pick of his form. Watson is also represented by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who owns Etijaah and who comes here after a break since winning the Curlin Handicap at Meydan.
Trainer Jorge Navarro brings over the highly fancied Sharp Azteca who was so impressive when sauntering to a facile victory last time out in the The Grade 2 Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Handicap by four and half lengths. The horse has worked well since his arrival here and his jockey Edgar Zayas will be enjoying his first experience of Meydan. He very much looks the one to beat.
Another strong local challenger is North America, trained by the evergreen Satish Seemar who has enjoyed an excellent season this year. The five-year-old son of Dubawi has remained unbeaten and a striking seven and half demolition in the Firebreak Stakes should have him spot on. He looks to be the main danger and he is due to be ridden by the 2016/7 UAE champion jockey Richard Mullen. Seemar is also represented by Farrier, who showed there is still life in the old boy when winning the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes this season.
Another local horse that has excelled in his prep race is Heavy Metal, who looked immense when winning the Burj Nahaar by six and half lengths on Super Saturday. Salim Bin Ghadayer has had his horses in super form of late and his partnership with Mickael Barzalona has proved to be a strong one. They look to be serious players in this contest.
One of the rising stars in the training ranks in the UK is Hugo Palmer, who trains in Newmarket. He teams up with one of the top jockeys in the world in Ryan Moore and they will both be expecting a big run from Gifted Master.
You write off the Japanese challenge at your own peril. Yuichi Fukunaga definitely knows how to win here having taken the Dubai Turf in 2014 with Just A Way. He is back again and partnering with trainer Sachio Yukubo with Kafuji Take who took the Grade 3 Negishi Stakes at Tokyo at the end of January.
Expect the veteran Le Bernadin to be a player earlier in the race and he could make the running and say catch me if you can. Ross has had two solid second places this season at Meydan and looks to carry a potent threat again. Triple Nine is the first runner for South Korea on Dubai World Cup night and he should certainly give a good account of himself. The Dubai Creek Mile winner Fitzgerald and course specialist Stormadal complete the field in what looks to be a very competitive start to the evening.
Our selection is for North America to see off the USA challenger Sharp Azteca with Heavy Metal filling the frame.
The author is a racing journalist, broadcaster and Managing Partner of Tregoning Property.
