UAE: Saudi Cup one-two Panthalassa and Country Grammer plus Equinox, the world’s highest-rated three-year-old in 2022, and Breeders’ Cup hero Rebel’s Romance are among the headline acts for the $30.5million Dubai World Cup card, likely fields for which have been released.
Defending champion Country Grammer heads a projected field of 14 for the $12m Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline. Bob Baffert’s charge aims to become just the second dual winner of the race but faces tough opposition from an eight-strong Japanese challenge featuring Panthalassa and Japan Cup winner Vela Azul.
The sole European representative is the Simon & Ed Crisford-trained Algiers, impressive winner of G2 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and 2. Last year’s Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road is also set to feature, while veteran Salute The Soldier (fifth in 2021) tries again after winning the final leg of the Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday.
The $6m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic has attracted a strong international line-up, with Arima Kinen winner Equinox facing seven other G1 winners, including last year’s winner Shahryar and two from Hong Kong, Senor Toba and Russian Emperor.
A three-pronged UK attack is made up of the John & Thady Gosden-trained Emily Upjohn and Neom Turf Cup winner Mostahdaf, plus Irish Derby winner Westover (Ralph Beckett). Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance remains on the list for the home team in the UAE.
The $5m Dubai Turf if Lord North, who won the race outright in 2021 and dead-heated with Panthalassa last year, can win it for a third time. A formidable bunch of rivals include four from Japan, including Vin De Garde, twice placed in this race, and Japanese Derby winner Do Deuce.
The $2m Dubai Golden Shaheen also features a defending champion in the Bhupat Seemar-trained Switzerland, who will attempt to become the third dual winner of the 1,200metre dirt contest. He is up against a strong team from the US, including Breeders’ Cup Sprint second CZ Rocket (Peter Miller) and Amsterdam winner Gunite (Steve Asmussen).
An international field heads to the turf for the $1.5m Al Quoz Sprint including Australian G3 winner The Astrologist (Troy & Leon Corstens), and the Hong Kong-trained pair of Sight Success and Duke Wai.
There are 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points up for grabs in the G2 UAE Derby, which Aidan O’Brien will seek to win for a fourth time with Cairo. Up against him are five for Japan, including Continuar (Yoshito Yahagi) while Baffert sends Worcester to represent the US, along with Doug O’Neill’s Tall Boy and Ah Jeez.
The G2 Godolphin Mile sees Yahagi’s Bathrat Leon try to follow up his devastating 2022 win against two compatriots, Lauda Sion (Takashi Saito) and Win Carnelian (Yuichi Shikato). A strong local challenge is headed by last year’s runner-up Desert Wisdom, and Discovery Island, winner of the G3 Burj Nahaar last time out.
The longest race of the day is the G2 Dubai Gold Cup, over 3,200metres on turf. It welcomes back 2021 winner Subjectivist as part of a strong UK team which also includes Ebor winner Trawlerman, while O’Brien sends G1 winner Broome from Ireland and Sisfahan travels over for German trainer Henk Grewe.
“We are very excited about the strength of the fields for the 2023 Dubai World Cup meeting,” commented Dubai Racing Club general manager Major General Dr Mohammed Essa Al Adhab. “We have horses arriving from 12 different countries and it is especially fantastic to welcome back runners from Hong Kong and Australia after a break of a few years.
“It is also superb to see so many defending champions here to try and make history, with Country Grammer aiming to become just the second dual Dubai World Cup winner. As ever, we thank trainers and owners for their support of the meeting and wish everyone the best of luck on March 25.”
• Visit the Dubai Racing Club website
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