By Emma Berry
DUBAI, UAE—Bob Baffert has two chances to win his fourth G1 Dubai World Cup but his favoured runner, West Coast (Flatter), will have to overcome starting from stall nine of the ten runners. Meanwhile, Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G2 UAE Derby in 2015 and runner-up to California Chrome in the World Cup a year later, will jump from berth five.
“He's real well and has travelled well so all we can hope for is some racing luck and a good break—the break is so important,” said the trainer of West Coast, the American champion 3-year-old colt of 2017. “He's the best older horse in America and hopefully he can prove it here.”
With seven victories, Saeed Bin Suroor is the most successful Dubai World Cup trainer since its inception in 1996, and he will saddle the dual Group 1 winner and another former UAE Derby victor, Thunder Snow (GB) (Helmet {Aus}), one of two runners for Godolphin this year alongside the Andre Fabre-trained Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro).
Thunder Snow, who is drawn widest of all in ten, has been working nicely in the mornings with Kieren Fallon, according to his trainer, who declared that he is very happy with the 4-year-old colt.
As well as his accomplished turf career, Thunder Snow is twice a winner at Group 2 level on the Meydan dirt, and the Godolphin camp will be hoping for similar versatility from the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Talismanic, who will be tackling the surface for the first time.
Godolphin's French racing representative Lisa-Jane Graffard, who drew gate seven for the 5-year-old in the absence of Fabre, said, “There were lots of factors which made us think he should be given a chance on the dirt. He trained very well on the dirt at Del Mar when he was at the Breeders' Cup and he's an adaptable horse with a great mind. Andre really wanted to bring a horse here to Dubai to run in the World Cup for Sheikh Mohammed and we are delighted to bring a horse of this quality.”
Drawn on the rail is the Japanese raider Awardee (Jungle Pocket {JPN}), trained by Mikio Matsunaga and ridden by the seasoned Yutake Take, and starting one outside him is the locally-trained North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will be aiming for back-to-back Group 1 wins for Satish Seemar and Richard Mullen after winning the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday.
The two mares in the race—Breeders' Cup heroine Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) and Meydan regular Furia Cruzada (Chi) (Newfoundland) are scattered among the colts is stalls six and four respectively.
Dallas Stewart, trainer of current third-favourite Forever Unbridled, said, “What we're real happy about is how she is doing here. Her energy is good and she's comfortable. The draw should be fine. She'll have to bring her best race to win this but we feel really good about it.”
Completing the line-up are Gunnevera (Dialed In), representing Antonio Sano, who will jump from three, and the grey Pavel (Creative Cause) in gate eight.
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