Royal Delta trainer pleased with World Cup draw

Dubai: After his famous win with Cigar in the inaugural Dubai World Cup back in 1996, trainer Bill Mott has perhaps got one of the best chances of repeating that feat with Royal Delta, one of America’s top mares and considered the queen of American racing.

After Wednesday’s post position draw for the $10 million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup, Mott was cool, calm and happy with his horse, the draw and the Tapeta surface.

The five-year-old Royal Delta finished ninth behind winner Monterosso in the 13-horse field last year, but Mott said he had made the decision soon after that race to bring her back.

“When she not even made it to the barn after last year’s race, we decided to come back and give her another chance [at the World Cup]. Mr [Benjamin] Leon, who owns Royal Delta, he is a very enthusiastic and sporting guy and he made the decision last year that he wanted to give her another chance,” said Mott.

“She is doing very well. She blew out very well this morning. She has travelled very well. All indications are that she is well with herself,” he said.

Mott continued: “We had a good early choice in the draw. Last year I had my choice, which was number 7. We just want to be somewhere in the middle, just maybe give the mare an opportunity to break well and have a smooth trip. She obviously has to get away from the starting gate in good order and the rest is up to [jockey] Mike Smith.

Commenting on the Tapeta surface Mott added: “The surface looks a bit better to me this year. Last year I was not really sure about it. It looked like it was more oily and a little mushy. It looks firmer this year.”

“I think it is a bit different now. I’ve only seen it one morning. It seems to be that they have got it back in good shape. It is a big positive for my horse,” he said.

When asked if there was any resemblance to the tracks in the US, Mott said: “I don’t think there is any resemblance to any poly track or synthetic one, the closest would probably be Hollywood Park, but they have never refurnished it, they just add sand to it. So it is really not a synthetic surface. Sometimes really there is not much correlation between dirt and synthetic.”

“I think it takes a really special horse to handle both and I am hoping we have that horse,” he said.

Mott feels Hunter’s Light is his biggest threat to his World Cup chances. He said: “I think Hunter’s Light is in very good form. I watched his race here three weeks ago and he was quite impressive.”