Title Ready preps for the Dubai World Cup (G1) Saturday night. (Photo credit: Dubai Racing Club & Neville Hopwood).
A cast of 14 Group or Grade 1 winners with a combined 23 victories at the highest level are set to line up for the 25th running of Dubai World Cup day at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday March 27, 2021.
A total of 117 horses from 11 countries will compete across a spectacular day of racing worth USD$26.5m that features six Group 1 and three Group 2 contests.
The Group 1 $12m Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline and held over 2000m welcomes a 14-strong line up headed by the highest-rated Mystic Guide (USA), trained by Michael Stidham in the USA. Mystic Guide is one of three Godolphin-owned runners in the field with the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Gifts of Gold (IRE). The third comes in the shape of Magny Cours (USA), the charge of French maestro, Andre Fabre who is making his dirt debut in the Dubai World Cup.
Mystic Guide is the current early betting favorite for the Dubai World Cup at BUSR.
Yet the Godolphin runners face stiff competition from a three-strong team of US raiders including the 2021 Pegasus World Cup runner up, Jesus’ Team (USA), for trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo and the Miguel Angel Silva-prepared Grade 2 winner Sleepy Eyes Todd (USA). Title Ready (USA) winner of January’s Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes trained by Dallas Stewart completes the US lineup.
Mystic Guide Wins Razorback Handicap
Japanese interests are represented by Grade 1 winner, Chuwa Wizard (JPN), who claimed the Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse in December 2020 for trainer, Ryuji Okubo while Uruguay’s Ajuste Fiscal (URU) lines up for trainer, Antonio Cintra. Bahraini handler, Fawzi Nass saddles a first Dubai World Cup runner with Salute The Soldier (GER), whose route to the Dubai World Cup included victory in two out of the three traditional Dubai prep races – the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over 1900m and the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 over the same 2000m of the Dubai World Cup. Great Scot, third in The Saudi Cup last month, flies the flag for Saudi Arabia and trainer, Abdullah Mishriff.
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Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
A stellar renewal of the Group 1 $5m 2410m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic seems certain with Japan’s supermare, the multiple Grade 1 winner, Chrono Genesis (JPN), trained by Takashi Saito, lining up against dual Group 1 winner and Hong Kong Vase star, Mogul (GB) who represents Irish supremo, Aidan O’Brien. The Bill Mott trained four-time Group 1 winner, Channel Maker (CAN) will be looking to go one better following his runner up spot to True Self (IRE) in the Neom Turf Cup in February while the John Gosden-trained 2021 Saudi Cup hero, Mishriff (IRE) is stepping up in trip and making a return to turf.
Dubai Turf
The 1800m $4m Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World features a strong UK contingent, with Lord North (IRE) winner of the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes from the Gosden yard, Lord Glitters, victor of the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday trained by David O’Meara, the Sir Michael Stoute trained Regal Reality (GB) as well as the Simon Crisford-trained pair of Court House (IRE) and Epic Hero (FR) all lining up.
Dubai Golden Shaheen
The Group 1 $1.5m 1200m Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News, boasts a multi-national field including the Doug O’Neill trained Wildman Jack (USA) winner of the 2020 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint and fellow US-based Group winner, Yaupon (USA) trained by Steve Asmussen who seeks redemption following his Breeder’s Cup Sprint tilt in November. The Americans will take on Capella Stakes victor, Justin (JPN) trained by Akira Murayama who renews his rivalry with Copano Kicking (USA) and Matera Sky (USA) the winner and runner up respectively in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint three weeks ago.
UAE Derby
Elsewhere on the card Japan’s Pink Kamehameha (JPN), trained by Hideyuki Mori seeks victory in the Group 2 1900m $750,000 UAE Derby Sponsored by Emirates NBD having already landed the Saudi equivalent over a mile.
Stablemate France Go De Ina (USA) and the Yukihiro Kato trained Takeru Pegasus complete a powerful Japanese Derby challenge while Dubai World Cup Carnival star, El Patriota prepared by Cintra (URU) represents Uruguay.
Al Quoz Sprint
The Group 1 US$1m Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by AZIZI features Godolphin’s Charlie Appleby trained Space Blues(IRE), fresh from victory in The Saudi Cup’s 1351 Turf Sprint, Dubai World Cup Carnival star Equilateral (GB) trained by Charlie Hills and Cowan (USA) who was a fast-finishing second in the Saudi Derby and is another prepared by Asmussen.
Dubai Gold Cup
Testing their staying power in the Group 2 $750,000 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors are the Group 1 Prix Royal Oak-winner Subjectivist, trained by Mark Johnston alongside Group 2 winners, Walderbe (GER), trained by Germany’s Ralf Rohne, the Andrew Balding trained Spanish Mission (USA) and Red Verdon (GB) trained by Ed Dunlop.
Godolphin Mile
The Group 2 $750,000 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City – District One features 2020 Curlin Stakes winner, Parsimony (USA) trained by Doug O’Neill alongside Saudi raider Urban Icon, trained by Saud Saad M Alkahtani, Multiple UAE Champion Trainer, Doug Watson saddles the trio of Midnight Sands (USA), Premier Star (USA) and Golden Goal (IRE) while Satish Seemar’s Zabeel Stables also sends out three including Secret Ambition (GB), Roman Rosso (ARG) and Tuz (USA). The Salem Bin Ghadayer trained Blown By The Wind (GB) lines up alongside Japan’s Dieu Du Vin (JPN) and the Saeed Bin Suroor trained Dubai Mirage (IRE).
Dubai Kahayla Classic
The Group 1 $750,000 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic Sponsored by Mubadala has attracted an impressive list of the world’s best Purebred Arabians including Group 1 winner Hajres (TUN) from the yard of French trainer, Elisabeth Bernard, Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 winner and track record holder, RB Frynchh Dude trained by the UAE’s Helal Alalawi and the Didier Guillemin trained Deryan, winner of the 2020 The President of the UAE Cup at Deauville.
Also lining up are the Mutlaq Bin Mushreef trained pair of Mubasher Al Khalediah (KSA) and Mutawakel Al Khalediah (KSA) winner and runner up respectively in the Obaiya Arabian Classic last month.
The Dubai World Cup is being held behind closed doors on Saturday March 27, 2021 and will see a modification to the purse structure meaning that prize money will be paid out to 8th place.
