Dubai: Former British champion jockey Jamie Spencer is hoping that Irish raider Cape Blanco can tick off all the right boxes and win tomorrow's Dubai World Cup (Group 1) on the Meydan all-weather track.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien at Ireland's historic Ballydoyle stables, the four-year-old son of Galileo has notched up five Group race wins, including two at the highest level, but is unproven on a synthetic surface.
However, Spencer says his horse is ready to roll judged on the way he's been performing in his gallops.
"It has been a seamless transition from turf to dirt and he has done nothing wrong all week," said the Irishman, who in 2006 won the Dubai Duty Free (Group 1) aboard David Junior.
"It (all-weather) is like a lot of American tracks, and looks a fair surface.
"Aidan is a top class trainer and he wouldn't have brought the horse here if he had any misgivings about the track. He's won many top races around the world and I hope he can add this one on Saturday."
Cape Blanco is O'Brien's first World Cup runner. He also has two entries in the UAE Derby — Master of Hounds and Alexander Pope. Fitri Hay, wife of Dubai-based Scot Dr Jim Hay, recently purchased a share in Cape Blanco, who is best known for his prominent running style that should be suited by the gallop-favouring Meydan track.
New acquisition
"It's going to be very exciting on Saturday," said Hay at Wednesday's Postion Position draw, where her new acquisition was handed stall four, with Godolphin's Prince Bishop on his left and American hope Gio Ponti in the nearest stall on his right.
"We are delighted to be involved with such a talented horse and we are very much looking forward to the season ahead," she added. Cape Blanco's sire Galileo won both the English and Irish Derbys, the King George and was narrowly beaten by Fantastic Light in the Irish Champion Stakes in 2001. However, Galileo is yet to sire a winner of the Dubai World Cup.
Among the Irish horse's rivals tomorrow are the Henry Cecil trained Twice Over, the 2/1 favourite, Japan's Victoire Pisa and Buena Vista, and the Godolphin trio of Poet's Voice, Prince Bishop and Monterosso.
