Dubai World Cup

Racing all over the place today, but no doubt at all which is the best race of the day - the Dubai World Cup, the richest race in the world with a purse of 10 million US$, which be run over 2000 metres on the tapeta surface at Meydan at 18.35 CET. Although there is no superstar running today it is still an excellent field of 14 and very cosmpolitan with runners from the US, Japan, South Africa, Europe and of course the host country, represented by 3 Godolphin runners. Saeed bin Suroor has won the race 5 times and stable jockey Frankie Dettori is on Poet´s Voice, narrowly beaten here when apparently not fully wound up. However in our opinion he is best at a mile and this trip could be too far, amd possibly Monterosso (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Mikael Barzalona, who was a beaten favourite in last year´s German Derby but came back to form with an easy win here last time, could be best of the Godolphin trio.

US-traind runners have won this race 8 times in its 16 year history and of their two representatives today Gio Ponto (Christophe Clement/ Ramon Dominguez) is clearly the better. He was a close 4th in this last year and last time out was runner-up to Goldikova in the Breeders Cup Mile. he is clearly very versatile as far as distance and surface are concerned and looks certain to be involved again. Mike de Kock trains the two S. African runners Musir (Christophe Soumillon) and Golden Sword (Kevin Shea) both have been in good form at the Carnival and Musir, who won the UAE Derby at this meeting a year ago is possibly just the better of the pair, but neither should be underestimated. Aidan O´Brien has not had a runner in Dubai for 6 years - probably because of the rivalry between Coolmore and Godolphin, although both sides of course deny this. Now he sends over Cape Blanco (Jamie Spencer) who on the form book has an excellent chance. He won the Irish Derby and Champion Stakes las t year, before flopping on very soft ground in the Arc. A major share in him was recently sold to Dubai-based Jim and Fitri Hay and he runs in their colours. The problem here is that he only flew over a few days ago and is possibly not fully acclimatised.

Twice Over (Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally) was behind him in the Irish Champion but on the balance of his form he is best of the Europeans. He won the Eclipse and Champion (Newmarket version) last year and won his trial here is good style. However he ran poorly last year when he was drawn on the outside, as he is again. The British bookmakers make him clear favourite, but in our opinion he is no value at the likely price. Gitano Hernando (Marco Botti/ Johnny Murtagh) was beaten favourite in this last year. He has put up some great performances and has an obvious chance at his best. He is runnning his last race for Botti and will now be transferred to Herman Brown and run in the colours of evil Chechen dictator Kadyrov.

We have left the best to last - the Japanese challenge. The top horses from that country have shown repeatedly that they can hold their own at the highest level, and their 3 runners today are in great form. No filly or mare has ever won this race, but Buena Vista (H Matsuna/ Ryan Moore), controversially disqualified after easily winning the Japan Cup last November, could put this right. However she is also badly drawn and we are not sure that this track is ideal, so we prefer Transcend (Takayuki Yasuda/ Shinji Fujita), the best dirt horse in Japan, and especially Victoire Pisa (Katsuhiko Sumii/ Mirco Demuro) for whom everything could go right today.

Betting forecast:
2. Race: J J The Jet Plane - War Artist - Mr Gruff
3. Race: Skysurfers - Red Jazz - Zafeen Speed
4. Race: Xin Xu Lin - Mahbooba - Khawlah
5. Race: Rocket Man - Kinsale King - Euroears
6. Race: Presvis - Better Than Ever - Wigmore Hall
7. Race: Rulership - Deem - Rewilding
8. Race: Musir - Twice Over - Cape Blanco