Godolphin’s Monterosso bids to make history

Dubai: Godolphin’s Monterosso will bid to become the first horse in history to win the $10million Dubai World Cup twice when he faces 12 rivals in the defence of his crown on Saturday. Trained by Mahmoud Al Zarouni, he and jockey Mickael Barzalona were chased home by stable companion Capponi in the 2000m Tapeta feature last year and the pair are joined in the race this year by three trained by Godolphin’s other trainer, Saeed Bin Surour.

These are headed by Hunter’s Light, winner of the Group 1 concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge over the same course and distance on Super Saturday three weeks ago when beating stable companion Kassiano who is in opposition again. They are joined by stablemate African Story, also a winner on Super Saturday in the 1600m Burj Nahaar, as well as landing the Godolphin Mile on the big night 12 months ago.

Of the Godolphin trainer’s quintet, Hunter’s Light is the one vying for favouritism on the international markets and he will, again, be ridden by Silvestre De Sousa who has yet to experience defeat on the 5yo having ridden him four times in races.

The pair will again be in partnership and, as De Sousa explains, Hunter’s Light is a real favourite of his. “This horse provided me with my first Group 1 winner in Europe and then, again, my first Group 1 winner in Dubai,” he said. “He takes a bit of knowing but has plenty of ability, seems to be improving and loves the Tapeta.

“I am really looking forward to Saturday and it is exciting to go into such a big race with a genuine chance. I cannot wait.”

As you would expect, the opposition is stiff with three genuine Group 1 performers from America amongst the obstacles to the Godolphin runners and it is two of these who are sharing favouritism with Hunter’s Light.

Bill Mott, trainer of Cigar, the inaugural Dubai World Cup winner in 1996, saddles Royal Delta, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic in each of the last two seasons and she could start favourite despite her lacklustre display in the race last year.

Animal Kingdom, trained by Graham Motion, is the other American at the head of the market and has been aimed at this race for some time. Winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, he was then a close second in the Preakness Stakes but had eight months off after a disappointing sixth in the Belmont Stakes. That was in June 2011 and he has only run three times since, winning once.

He is a fascinating contender but has clearly had his problems.

There are also three runners from the UK, perhaps headed by the Marco Botti-trained Planteur, third in the race last year when he was making his seasonal debut. As was the case 12 months ago, Ryan Moore takes the ride but this time around he has the advantage of a prep race, having won a 2000m race on the Lingfield Polytrack (very similar to Tapeta) five weeks ago.

South African Mike De Kock has yet to win this particular race and relies on Treasure Beach this year and hopes his charge will go well but probably has more obvious chances on the card, arguably headed by Shea Shea in the 1000m Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint.

An impressive winner on Super Saturday, he continues to please his trainer who said: “We have 13 runners on the night and we are really looking forward to it but Shea Shea would definitely be one of our big hopes.

“That was a track record he set last time and he continues in great form.

“Of the other runners I am really hoping there is a good pace in the Sheema Classic for Await The Dawn and the same for Treasure Beach in the World Cup. Both should run well given the right scenario.

“I am really looking forward to running UAE 2000 Guineas winner Soft Falling Rain in the Godolphin Mile just to find out how good he is – although the 1600m is definitely as far as he wants to go and he will be a really interesting horse in England later this year.”

As always, the meeting opens with the Kahayla Classic, the Purebred Arabian equivalent of the Dubai World Cup, and this year’s renewal features a clash of the last two winners although, somewhat bizarrely, they have swapped jockeys!

When Seraphin Du Paon won this race in 2011, he was ridden by Olivier Peslier who, this year, is set to ride last year’s winner TM Fred Texas who had Adrie de Vries aboard 12 months ago when denying Seraphin Du Paon a repeat victory.

However, Dutchman De Vries, who has finished the UAE season in flying form, will be trying to mastermind revenge this year as he rides Seraphin Du Paon for trainer Ernst Oertel whose stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea rides stable companion and local debutant TM Junior Johnson.