Dubai: The Dubai World Cup Carnival has received a major boost with five horses who competed in the high-profile event at Meydan having received invitations to the HK$14million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup on April 27 at Sha Tin racecourse in Hong Kong.
Among them are Dubai Duty Free second Vercingetorix, Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up, and 2012 winner, Cirrus Des Aigles and Military Attack, who competed in the Dubai World Cup won by African Story.
The 20th edition of the 2000m contest has the potential to be one of the best ever staged.
“We have seen some brilliant champions carry off the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup in the past, and with six individual international Group 1 winners and some exciting rising stars, this could be one of the strongest renewals we’ve ever had — it’s shaping up to be a real classic,” said William A. Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director of Racing. Last year’s QEII Cup victor Military Attack is bidding to become only the second horse to win back-to-back renewals after Eishin Preston triumphed in 2002-2003.
John Moore’s charge is currently rated the best 2000m turf horse in the world, but will have to return to his best form following a damp performance on the all-weather track at Meydan where he could only finish 10th.
Among his rivals are Hong Kong Derby winner Designs On Rome and the Richard Gibson-trained Akeed Mofeed.
The latter fared better than Military Attack when finishing a solid fifth in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan.
Prior to that he was a smart winner of the Hong Kong Cup.
This year’s highly-regarded Derby third, Dibayani, is also in the fray.
