Timeform's Dubai World Cup runner-by-runner guide
Read Timeform's runner-by-runner guide to the Dubai World Cup which takes place at Meydan on Saturday.
1. Algiers (Simon & Ed Crisford/ James Doyle)
Very smart gelding who has proved better than ever this year, winning the first two rounds of the Maktoum Challenge with plenty in hand. His six-length success over Bendoog last time was a career-best effort and this six-year-old who is on a roll has a big shout.
2. Bendoog (Bhupat Seemar/ Christophe Soumillon)
Smart colt who was a creditable second behind Algiers in Round 2 of the Maktoum Challenge and then ran to a similar level when filling the same position behind Salute The Soldier in Round 3. Hard to make a case for him reversing the form, though.
3. Cafe Pharoah (Noriyuki Hori/ Joao Moreira)
Has shown very smart form in Japan and won the Group 1 February Stakes at Tokyo for the second successive year in 2022. Finished a creditable third, beaten a length and a quarter, behind Panthalassa in the Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz on his latest outing four weeks ago.
4. Country Grammer (Bob Baffert/ Frankie Dettori)
High-class horse who won two of his six starts last year, most notably this valuable prize. Arrives here on the back of a creditable three-quarter length second to Panthalassa in the Saudi Cup, where he stayed on well close home, leaving the impression he found the nine-furlong trip on the sharp side (was also runner-up in the 2022 Saudi Cup). Should make a bold bid to defend his Dubai World Cup title.
5. Crown Pride (Koichi Shintani/ Damian Lane)
Very smart colt who won the UAE Derby here last year. Hasn't won since but has produced some creditable efforts in defeat, including when fifth behind Panthalassa in the Saudi Cup last month.
6. Emblem Road (Ahmed Abdulwahed/ Adel Al Furaydi)
Beat Country Grammer when winning the Saudi Cup last year but was just a respectable sixth, beaten around four lengths by Panthalassa, in the latest renewal. He's making his first run for the yard after leaving Mitab Almulawah.
7. Geoglyph (Tetsuya Kimura/ Christophe Lemaire)
Very smart colt who won the Satsuki Sho (the Japanese 2000 Guineas) last year. Was a good fourth, beaten around a length and a quarter by Panthalassa, in the Saudi Cup on his first outing on dirt last month.
8. Jun Light Bolt (Yasuo Tomomichi/ Ryan Moore)
Won three of his four runs in Japan last year, including the Group 1 Champions Cup by a neck from Crown Pride. However, he was just a respectable seventh, beaten over seven lengths by Panthalassa, in the Saudi Cup last month. Ryan Moore was aboard last time and retains the ride.
9. Panthalassa (Yoshito Yahagi/ Yutaka Yoshida)
High-class horse who won two of his six starts last year, including a dead-heat with Lord North in the Dubai Turf at this meeting last year, while he was also runner-up in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Proved his effectiveness on dirt when making all and holding off Country Grammer in the Saudi Cup last month, and he will be dangerous if allowed to dominate again.
10. Remorse (Bhupat Seemar/ Tadhg O'Shea)
Dual course-and-distance winner who registered his latest win here in December. Was only ninth behind Panthalassa in the Saudi Cup last time, though.
11. Salute The Soldier (Fawzi Nass/ Adrie de Vries)
Prolific winner at this venue and registered a third course-and-distance success when landing Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge three weeks ago, responding well to beat Bendoog by two lengths. That was a weak edition of the race, though.
12. Super Corinto (Amador Sanchez/ Hector Berrios)
Successful on four of his six starts in South America, including the Grade 1 Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile. Ran twice in the US for this yard, winning an optional claimer at Gulfstream when last seen in December.
13. T O Keynes (Daisuke Takayanagi/ Oisin Murphy)
Smart horse who won two of his five runs last year and was fourth in the Group 1 Champions Cup on his final start of the campaign. Was a creditable runner-up, beaten half a length by Ushba Tesoro, in the listed Kawasaki Kinen at Kawasaki last time. Oisin Murphy takes the ride.
14. Ushba Tesoro (Noboru Takagi/ Yuga Kawada)
Very smart horse who showed improved form in 2022 to win four times, including the Tokyo Daishoten, and he also landed the listed Kawasaki Kinen last month, beating T O Keynes by half a length.
15. Vela Azul (Kunihiko Watanabe/ Cristian Demuro)
High-class horse who won four times last year, including the Japan Cup, showing a fine turn of foot to score by three-quarters of a length, but he was only tenth when last seen in the Arima Kinen at Nakayama in December. Has won twice on dirt but has shown his best form on turf. Drops in trip here.
Timeform's Analyst Verdict:
COUNTRY GRAMMAR just ran out of distance when a strong-finishing second to Panthalassa in the Saudi Cup 4 weeks ago and Bob Baffert's charge is taken to reverse the placing over this extra 1f and follow up last year's win. Algiers was most impressive when winning Round 1 and Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge here in recent months so rates a huge threat.
Timeform 1-2-3:
- Country Grammer
- Panthalassa
- Algiers
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