Special Features
Dubai World Cup - Trend Report
With Saeed Bin Suroor having saddled five winners of the world’s richest horse race and American trainers seven between them, only Sir Michael Stoute has pierced their domination but maybe that can change.Bin Suroor relies on My Indy this year who won both the opening rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge and it has to be noted that no winner of the first round has won a Dubai World Cup (which also is relevant to Happy Boy who won the race in 2008). On a positive note for My Indy though, Bin Suroor did win Round II with Moon Ballad before he won the Dubai World Cup and he is a four-year-old colt, as were all, bar one of his previous winners.
Kiaran McLaughlin is the other trainer represented to have won the race and Albertus Maximus has strong claims to improve the impressive record of America. He was a winner at the Breeders’ Cup last year, as was Invasor (as well as Curlin and Pleasantly Perfect) and won the Donn Handicap this year. Cigar and Invasor both won that race en route to victory here.
Four-year-olds have a tremendous record in the race but only Anak Nakal, Casino Drive, My Indy and Paris Perfect represent that age group with eight five-year-olds headed by Asiatic Boy and Albertus Maximus. With seven winners having carried the USA-suffix and representing the prolific four-year-old generation, Anak Nakal and Casino Drive have to be considered. Casino Drive represents Japan though whose record in the race is poor.
Those drawn high have a far better record than those drawn low with stall 11 proving the lucky gate most often. Muller, one of three Saudi Arabian-trained runners bidding to provide the Kingdom with a first win in the race, has that lucky berth.
Last year’s winner Curlin ran from stall 12, which will be occupied by Anak Nakal.
Godolphin’s My Indy will be the first Dubai World Cup runner to depart stall 14, while Muller’s stable companion Paris Perfect will be only the second to use the 13 gate.
Arguably the most interesting trends though are the facts that no winner had previously been beaten in the race – which is a concern for last year’s runner-up Asiatic Boy and third Well Armed. No UAE Derby winner (Asiatic Boy) has ever won it – BUT Street Cry, Moon Ballad and Invasor were all beaten in that race before winning this one the following year and Well Armed did contest the 2006 UAE
Derby.
A confusing set of trends but Albertus Maximus probably comes out on top.
