Dubai World Cup: Algiers "in fantastic place", says Crisford

Simon Crisford feels that Algiers will have to be better than ever if he is to win the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on Saturday night, but the trainer believes his local star has several factors in his favour ahead of the £9.8m contest.

The six-year-old has shown remarkable improvement for the switch to dirt this winter, winning the first two legs of the Al Maktoum Challenge – a key pointer for the World Cup – in emphatic style.

However, Algiers will face off against a world-class field for the Group 1 contest tomorrow and Crisford feels he’ll have to improve again if he is to see off the likes of the Saudi Cup hero Panthalassa and last year’s winner Country Grammer.

He said: “The horse has transformed really for racing on this surface. He was a very rock solid 110 type horse on the turf, but since he’s been running on this racetrack he’s stepped up to another level and he’s now running to 120. I think the change of the surface is what has brought that improvement about.

“He’s certainly surprised us. When he ran in the first leg of the Al Maktoum Challenge, we thought he would be really competitive but he took us by surprise with his dominant display. We felt then that he needs to do it again in the second round to prove his merit (for the Dubai World Cup) and prove there was nothing flukey about the first race!

“We didn’t want to come for the last leg because to put up big figures in every race can take something from the horse and we want him as well as he could possibly be for this race. We didn’t run in Saudi Arabia and we didn’t run here on Super Saturday – everything has been geared towards Saturday night.

“Obviously this is going to be a different ball game compared to what we’ve been doing. We’ve been running against some really talented local horses but now we’re facing the best international runners so he’s going to have to run every bit as well if not better than he has been to be competitive.

“We’ve every faith he can do that. He’s in a fantastic place at the moment and he’s super fit. We know he likes the track and he’s acclimatised, so there are lots of positives.”

Simon Crisford was part of the initial committee which put together Dubai World Cup Night in the 1990s and having spent a large amount of his childhood in the Middle East, Ed Crisford revealed that it was a special moment to be involved with a key contender for the big race.

He said: “I first came here when I was six months old with dad, and to grow up around these amazing horses has been a privilege. Coming to the World Cup was a staple part of my school holidays and I never missed one, so to be coming here with a live contender now is just amazing.

“He’s the best local horse in the race and he’s improved another 10lbs for the switch to dirt. He’s been very impressive so far this winter and if he can run to the same level as he has in the first two legs of the Al Maktoum Challenge I think he’ll be right in the mix.

“I think he’s got tactical speed, which you need for a race like this, and I think he can quicken off a fast pace. If he could get a good position from his draw (in stall 13) and a clean run, I think most of the speed is on the outside, I’m sure he can run a solid race.”