Dubai World Cup: runner-by-runner guide and prediction

The world’s joint highest-rated dirt horse along with Sovereignty, Forever Young is undoubtedly the one they all have to beat. The Japanese superstar is as short as 2-5 with many firms after a run of three successive wins, a sequence that has seen him land both the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Saudi Cup.

Third in last year ‘s Dubai World Cup when sent off at similarly short odds, he finished two lengths behind the re-opposing winner Hit Show having had a pulsating duel with Romantic Warrior in Riyadh little over a month before.

Better can be expected from Yoshito Yahagi’s charge this time around, even though he has been drawn a gate wider in stall six.

He has a smaller field to contend with this year and is well clear on ratings, and is yet to finish outside of the first three in 14 starts, with 11 victories to his name. He has already accumulated almost £23million in prize money, has only just turned five, and bids to become the second Japanese-trained winner of the race after Ushba Tesoro three years ago.

The leading US challenger, Magnitude finished a remote third behind Soveriengty in the Travers Stakes in August having made the running before putting up an improved display when given cover in the Pennsylvania Derby behind the high-class colt Baeza.

Two wins have since followed. Firstly when beating Hit Show by half a length in receipt of 7lb at Churchill Downs in November, and then last month, where he ran out an easy winner of an Oaklawn Grade Three.

A career best will be needed here, and he is unproven at the trip, having primarily been seen over an extended mile and nine furlongs, but he looks progressive and his early gate speed will be an asset from stall one. He has also found plenty for pressure in some of his previous races too, for all he has come up short in both of his Group/Grade One races so far.

Wathnan Racing’s grey was an incredible winner of last year’s renewal, flying home from off the pace to score by half a length despite Geroux dropping his whip in the home straight.

Since then he has won three of his six starts, but last year’s victory remains his only success at the top level – he came up short in the Grade One Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs in June.

His close second to Magnitude was a decent effort, however, and unlike last term, he comes into this year’s race in winning form having landed the Grade Three Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds, where he was value for his winning margin of a head.

He should be competitive once more, but is likely to need the favourite to underperform for the second year running if he is to land the spoils again.

The well-named Meydaan really does fall into the ‘could be anything’ category after running riot to land the Group Two Al Maktoum Classic over course and distance on his previous start.

That was his first start on dirt and seemed to handle the kickback without any problems, closing from the rear to score by over five lengths from the re-opposing Walk Of Stars, who finished fourth in last year’s Dubai World Cup.

Regularly seen over a mile and a half last year on turf in Britain, he even contested the Melbourne Cup in November and won over 1m6f here on turf in January, so he is a strong stayer and is a hardy sort. Aside from Forever Young, this is not the deepest ever renewal of the Dubai World Cup and he holds strong claims of picking up some serious place prize money.

The impeccably bred Imperial Emperor has a score to settle with the Dubai World Cup. Bhupat Seemar’s charge has won five times on the Meydan dirt from seven starts and is yet to finish outside of the first two, except that is, in last year’s race, where he finished last of all when sent off the 4-1 second favourite.

He never appeared to be travelling with his usual zest and a post-race assessment revealed him to be lame in his left-hind. He is two from two on the dirt this season, most recently landing the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge ahead of the re-opposing Tumbarumba and Heart Of Honor.

Expect a bold show from the admirable six-year-old, who Tadhg O’Shea knows well.

The Wathnan second string has not had his assignment made any easier by being drawn in stall nine, but he arrives in good form.

The son of Oscar Performance was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for his previous handler before he disappointed for his new trainer on his UAE debut in December. 

However he has been much better on the past two occasions when upped to nine and nine and a half furlongs, finishing a length and a quarter behind Imperial Emperor in the Al Maktoum Challenge, and then when finishing third in the Saudi Cup.

He has almost five lengths to find with Forever Young from that race, where head no obvious excuses for not finishing closer. Whilst it is hard to make a case for him reversing that form, he consistently runs well at the top level and is certainly worthy of a a place in the line up. He retains his regular blinkers.

Leading local trainer Bhupat Seemar has another contender for this year’s blue-riband courtesy of Walk Of Stars, who finished fourth in the race last season.

A stylish winner from the front over Imperial Emperor in last season’s Group One Al Maktoum Challenge, he is yet to reach those heights in five starts since, finishing fifth in that race this year, eight and a half lengths behind his stable companion.

He was better last time, hitting the front in the Group Two Al Maktoum Classic, before fading behind the impressive winner Meydaan.

He is a definite pace angle and has a good draw, but has plenty to find on recent form.

Jamie Osborne’s four-year-old had a gelding operation over the summer and has been magnificent in the UAE this winter, winning his first two starts of the campaign, including an incredible win from the rear to land the Listed Entisar over the Bhupat Seemer-trained pair Artorious and Walk Of Stars.

Stepped up in class to contest the Al Maktoum Challenge in January, he again came from the rear, and beat that pair yet again, but could not reel in Tumbarumba or Imperial Emperor.

He was last seen finishing seventh in the Al Maktoum Classic won by Meydaan, which was a step backwards, and whilst odds of 50-1 are slightly insulting given his proven ability to handle the track, he would be a surprise winner.

Probably the horse with the most interesting profile in the field, Tap Leader was winning in Russia over the summer before joining the Doug Watson stable, and he got off the mark at the first attempt too, winning a dirt handicap in January by a neck.

Stepped up in class to contest the Al Maktoum Classic last month, he ran with credit, placing third, just three quarters of a length behind Walk Of Stars, but comfortably behind Meydaan.

He has plenty of potential and scope to win Graded races at the track next season, and would not be the first Russian recruit to land a big prize in the UAE, but this is by far his most serious assignment to date and one that is likely to be a bridge too far for the lightly-raced chesnut.

A fascinating race is in prospect, with many horses arriving in excellent form and several unknown quantities lining up, but they will all have to go some to beat the outstanding Japanese contender FOREVER YOUNG, who can make amends for last year's defeat.

The value for each-way punters could be with Imperial Emperor at 10-1, who can pick up the pieces if the favourite underperforms, with Simon and Ed Crisford's impressive recent winner Meydaan next preference.