Dubai World Cup 2022: Life Is Good handed inside draw for big race at Meydan

Life Is Good, the favourite for the 26th running of the Dubai World Cup, will start from Gate 1 for Saturday’s $12 million contest at Meydan Racecourse.

Tuesday’s post-position draw for the 11-runner Dubai World Cup at Dubai Opera was attended by owners, trainers and guests from the racing world.

Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm - owners of American thoroughbred Life Is Good - said: “It’s an 11-horse field. He has enough time to get over, and has enough speed to put himself in a good position. It’s been amazing. He has a beautiful way of moving, I think he knows he’s special. It is just a blessing to have him. It’s a great honour to be favourite. We feel grateful to have him.”

Emirati trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s Real World was drawn in Gate 6 as he bids for Godolphin’s 10th World Cup triumph.

“I’m very happy with that, we’ve got the best draw,” Bin Suroor said. “This was always the plan for him and we’ve always trained him on the all-weather track at home. He’s always shown his form really well on that and he’s trained really well so I’m very happy with him. He worked last Saturday and it was the best work I’ve ever seen, clocking 1 minute 26 seconds on the bridle.

“He came back very well from his last run, his draw is brilliant and Christophe (Soumillon) the jockey knows the track very well. He’s a two-time winner of the race (with Thunder Snow in 2018 and 2019) so it’s great to have him on our side. It’s a very tough race and it’s hard to win. You always have to have a good horse. We’ve won it nine times and we’ll try to do it again.”

Of the other favourites, Hot Rod Charlie will go from Gate 7, while Midnight Bourbon is in Gate 8. Bob Baffert’s County Grammer drew Gate 5.

Leandro Mora, assistant to Hot Rod Charlie trainier Doug O’Neill, said: “We are very happy. He needs to prove it. We talked about it we wanted any post from one through seven, so we are happy.

Japan’s Chuwa Wizard, last year’s runner-up to Mystic Guide, drew Gate 3. Trainer Ryuji Okubo said: “I’m happy with the gate and his condition is better than last year. He’s got the experience of Meydan last year and that has served him well for this year. I’m happier this year and Gate 3 is perfect.”

Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said: “He really showed up that night [in the Saudi Cup] and all signs are good for this. I really believe that he is a mile-and-a-quarter horse. He’s such a gritty horse.”

Dubai World Cup draw

1. LIFE IS GOOD|
2. AERO TREM
3. CHUWA WIZARD
4. GROCER JACK
5. COUNTRY GRAMMER
6. REAL WORLD
7. HOT ROD CHARLIE
8. MIDNIGHT BOURBON
9. MAGNY COURS
10. HYPOTHETICAL
11. REMORSE