        |
|
 |
Santa Anita, Derby Dubai World Cup Wood Memorial Day Dubai World Cup Works Dubai World Cup entries |
|
|
 Forever Young and Shin Emperor as dawn breaks on Friday morning at Meydan. |
On Friday morning in Dubai, entrants for the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and its rich undercard were at Meydan Racecourse on the main track, turf course, and training tracks. Conditions were typical for early April in the Emirates, with clear skies and temperatures in the mid 80's during training hours rising to 98 during the day. The races will be run Saturday evening (Saturday morning in North America), with the World Cup going to post at 9:30pm local time (1:30pm ET). In North America the full card will be broadcast live on FanDuelTV in the U.S. and HPI-TV in Canada. In addition, Fox Sports 1 will show the undercard, with the main event shown on Fox Sports 2 due to scheduling conflicts caused by the adjusted post times.
Here are photos and comments for 32 horses that were out Friday morning. Please click the smaller photos to see a larger version.
  Forever Young (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, "Of course he had a tough race and he was a little fatigued for a few days. My staff really did a great job in aiding his recovery and from then the plan was always to come here and compete in the Dubai World Cup. I think the extra 200 meters will be an advantage for him and also going four turns will benefit him. The Dubai World Cup is a race that in Japan we always want to win." |
  Forever Young (Dubai World Cup) gets a pat from trainer Yoshito Yahagi on his way back to the barn. Yahagi added, "I've been asked a lot about how he has come out of the race and his overall condition and some people have been concerned. But I actually think that, having experienced that tough race, he has improved another level. I think it's all positive. I don't see any negatives." |
  Ushba Tesoro (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Jockey Akira Sugawara said, "He moved well and retains his condition from Saudi. He is powerful and in good form. We breezed him strongly last week so this was just making sure everything is okay. He has improved since he was in Saudi Arabia." |
  Wilson Tesoro (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Jockey Yuga Kawada said, "He is in better form than he was in the Saudi Cup and moved well. I suppose he recovered well from his last appearance. I am confident to go to the race on Saturday." |
  Ramjet (Dubai World Cup) comes here winless in his last 3 starts, each won by Forever Young. He was 4th in the Japan Dirt Classic (G1), 3rd in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1), and 6th in the Saudi Cup. |
  Rattle N Roll (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Trainer Ken McPeek said, "It's a long run to the first turn and he can tuck in and find his way from there. In these races, you need to save as much ground as possible." |
  Imperial Emperor (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Trainer Bhupat Seemar said, "He's been a great horse this year," Seemar said of Imperial Emperor. "He's had four runs, three wins and a second, so I think he's every owner's dream. He's a great horse for a trainer and my team to be training. He worked very well last Monday so hopefully we'll stay intact, healthy and happy going into the World Cup. (Ownership group) Deva Racing has done very well in Britain and Ireland, and I think they've done best in Dubai. They had Royal Mews, who ran in the Godolphin Mile, and now they've got Imperial Emperor, who is second favorite for the Dubai World Cup. It's great when a good syndicate comes together. Collectively, so many people can come and enjoy horses at their best at the highest level."
|
  Il Miracolo (Dubai World Cup) galloped twice around. Trainer Antonio Sano said, "He has settled in very well and I am very happy with him. After his last race, we gave him three months on the farm and he's a different horse." Owner Eduardo Soto added, "I think he's going to run well. And I believe that the stars have aligned for us. We will see on Saturday." |
  Shin Emperor (Sheema Classic) went out for a gallop on the main track. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, "Shin Emperor really enjoys the environment here in Dubai. Maybe he's even a little bit too relaxed so that's why we asked him for a little bit more yesterday [Tuesday] when we breezed him. We wanted him to be really ready for the race. I haven't seen much improvement in him from last time out but he maintains a high level of form to be competitive in the Sheema Classic." |
 Durezza (Sheema Classic) galloped twice around. Trainer Tomohito Ozeki said, "He travelled over and settled in well. We breezed him with good intensity this morning. He reacted well and is in good form." |
  Danon Decile (Sheema Classic) galloped twice around. Trainer Shogo Yasuda said, "We can't do anything about the other horses in the race so we have to just consider our horse first. It is important how Danon Decile performs and whether he shows his true ability is the crucial thing. That's what we can control and what we will concentrate on. "He is still quite a green horse and although he trains brilliantly, my opinion is he hasn't shown 100 per cent of his true ability yet. As long as he can show that ability on the racecourse, then I would be keen to send him to Britain. The Juddmonte International Stakes at York is a very interesting and attractive race. It all depends on his result on Saturday."
|
  Cervinia (Sheema Classic) 2024 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner brings different formlines to the race and is the biggest of five interesting rides for multiple champion jockey Christophe Lemaire, who said, "She's powerful, she's got the stamina and for me she is a true Group 1 mare. You have to forget about her last run. I don't think she was in racing mode, she was still on vacation. When she came back after a long break she was not as good as she could be. With a bad track [surface] and a very slow pace, she was not comfortable and she couldn't run well. For sure in Dubai, on this beautiful track, she will be more competitive. I saw her working yesterday and what I saw really makes me think she will run much better than last time."
|
 Soul Rush (Turf) galloped once around. Exercise rider Yuki Iwasaki said, "I asked [him] in the final furlong and he reacted sharply." |
  Liberty Island (Turf) galloped once around. Trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida said, "It is exciting to race against Romantic Warrior again because Liberty Island is in good form: I'm very happy with her. Since the last run she had in Hong Kong, she hasn't had any setbacks, nothing has slowed her training programme, so everything is going the right way at the moment." |
  Brede Weg (Turf) arrives here off a promising run in a Grade 3, and was only a length away in fourth on her return to action at Tokyo in February. "I also saw her work yesterday and she is a very talented filly," said rider Christophe Lemaire. "I think the mile was a bit short for her [last time] so the extra 200 metres will suit her. She's got a very good turn of foot and it will be her second race of the year. As with Cervinia, she should perform very well. Even in such a competitive field she has a very good chance in my opinion." |
  Meisho Tabaru (Turf) won the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2) in September before disappointing 16th of 18 in the Kikuka Sho (G2) and 11th of 16 in the Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2). |
  Remake (Golden Shaheen) will break from stall eight of 12, with stable representative Masafuni Matsuda observing: "His draw is between American Stage and Straight No Chaser. It is a very good draw. I will leave it to Frankie [Dettori]. He was very strong and hard to hold in a good way. He is ready for the race." |
  Kurojishi Joe (Golden Shaheen) galloped once around. Assistant trainer Atsushi Obayashi said, "I asked his strongly and it was a nice breeze." |
  American Stage (Golden Shaheen) drew post 7 which frustrated trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who said, "An inside draw would have been ideal, but this is not too bad." |
  Admire Daytona (Derby) galloped once around. Jockey Christophe Lemaire said, "He has very good form because if you go back two starts, the horse that beat him is probably the best three-year-old on Dirt in Japan, and maybe a contender for the Kentucky Derby. We were only beaten a nose and broke the record time for the track, which shows he has potential. Last time he was a bit unlucky when he slightly missed the kick and suffered a lot of kickback. It was a good experience even if he wasn't in the best spot to win the race. Maybe it will help him on Saturday. He's a nice ride who is able to find his rhythm easily and keep that rhythm as well."
|
  Dragon (Derby) was 5th in the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, and is nominated for the Triple Crown. |
  Don in the Mood (Derby) won an allowance at Chukyo on January 6 and then was 3rd beaten 2 lengths in the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo on February 23. |
  Queen Azteca (Derby) is the only filly entered, and comes here off wins in the Cocoa Beach Stakes on January 17 and the UAE Oaks (G3) on February 21. |
 Howdeepisyourlove (Al Quoz Sprint) went for an easy gallop. Trainer John Size said, "He seems very well, he's been in pretty good order since he's been in Dubai. He's enjoying the fresh crispy mornings and the hot afternoons. He seems to be adapting quite well. He's eating his feed and doing his work and he seems quite relaxed in this environment. He's got plenty of experience and he enjoys being in training, so he looks confident, he looks like he's in pretty good shape. He has won down the straight at Sha Tin, I think this track's always in very good order, it's very consistent. He tends to wait for the last run, he likes to be ridden quietly early and get into his rhythm and get into his gear and then he normally finishes strongly. So he's only got a short dash but if he's timed well he might be in front at the line."
|
  Danon McKinley (Al Quoz Sprint) has plenty of classy form in Japan but so far has looked notably more effective over 7f than this trip, probably posting a career best when landing the MBS Sho Swan Stakes (G2) over 7f at Kyoto last October. He was 4th in the Hankyu Hai (G3) last out. |
  Win Carnelian (Al Quoz Sprint), winless since early 2023, is still capable of some big performances and wasn't beaten far – giving weight to all his rivals – in the Silk Road Stakes (G3) in February, finishing 3rd beaten just 2 lengths. |
  Puro Magic (Al Quoz Sprint) had some strong efforts in the first part of 2024 including two G3 victories over this trip. Hasn't made a huge impact in her most recent starts (9th last out in the Silk Road-G3) so this looks challenging. |
  Straight (Gold Cup) comes here off a 5th place finish in the Neom Turf Cup (G2) on the Saudi Cup undercard. |
  Peptide Nile (Godolphin Mile) finished 4th last out beaten 2 1/4 lengths in the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse. |
 Kazu Petrin (Godolphin Mile) was a close 2nd in the Musashino Stakes (G3) in November at Tokyo Racecourse but followed that up with a 6th in the Procyon Stakes (G2) at Chukyo and 9th in the listed Nigawa Stakes at Hanshin |
  Sword Point (Godolphin Mile) is expected to set the pace. Trainer Frankie Lor said, "James (McDonald, jockey) has said that it is a track where being on speed and on the rail is important. From gate two I think he will lead early and we are happy to take up the running on our own. If someone else wants to lead we are happy to sit behind them. I'm very happy with him and James said he worked really well. I entered him for both races and the way it's turned out, the (World Cup) might have been more suitable. It's great to be here though and hopefully this might be the first of a couple of opportunities to travel with him."
|
 King Gold (Godolphin Mile) won the listed Firebreak Stakes on January 24 and then disappointed 8th of 15 in the Al Maktoum Classic (G2), both at Meydan. |
 Fort Payne (Godolphin Mile) won the Burj Nahaar (G3) on March 1, the main local prep for this race. |
Dubai World Cup Links:
Back to Horse-Races.Net main page
| Search Horse-Races.Net: |
