An international field of 13 line up Saturday in the Group $10 million Dubai World Cup. (Photo Meydan Race Course)
A field of 13 runners will line up on Saturday in the Group 1 $10 million Dubai World Cup, with Hunter’s Light and Royal Delta likely to vie for favoritism in the world’s richest horse race.
Godolphin’s Hunter’s Light will break for the four post and was installed as the 7-2 morning line favorite. The five-year-old comes into the race riding a three race win streak, winning the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 in his last outing on March 9.
The Bill Mott trained Royal Delta will attempt to become the first female to win the Dubai World Cup when she breaks from the eight post, one of three U.S. based runners in the race. She was ninth in the race last year after a troubled trip and is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.
“The filly did well coming into the race last year but we didn’t have the easiest of trips, so we decided to come back right then and there,” Mott stated at the post position draw. “She is bigger and stronger this year.”
Dullahan is a three-time Grade 1 winner over synthetic surfaces but failed to threaten in his prep over the Meydan main track, fading to finish 11th in the Group 3 Emirates Holiday Burj Nahaar.
The colt, who is 6-1 on the morning line, is trained by Dale Romans, who won the 2004 running of the Dubai World Cup with Roses in May.
The 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom may give the U.S. their best shot of stopping a trend that has seen U.S. based runners go just 1 for 25 on Dubai World Cup night since the races shifted to Meydan.
The Graham Motion trainee was second in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in his last outing and is 5-1 on the morning line.
The 12 post does not seem to be a concern to Motion.
“Hopefully Joel Rosario will have him in a good spot,” Motion said. “Our tactics won’t change and he’s capable of coming from off of it if he has to. After all we won the Derby from post 16.”
Post time for the race is 2:05 ET.
Morning line odds for the Group 1 $10 million Dubai World Cup
1 Treasure Beach 20-1
2. Red Cadeaux 30-1
3 Dullahan 6-1
4 Hunter’s Light 7-2
5 Capponi 20-1
6 Side Glance 30-1
7 Planteur 30-1
8 Royal Delta 4-1
9 Meandre 30-1
10 Monterosso 20-1
11 African Story 10-1
12 Animal Kingdom 5-1
13 Kassiano 12-1
