Whistle jacket
Dubai World Cup 2025
Things are hotting up in Dubai ahead of Saturday.
Literally – the races have all been moved back an hour as they are expecting a very hot day.
The fields and markets are now out for the three G2 and five G1 races for thoroughbreds and one G1 for Purebred Arabians.
All the races have interesting fields containing many of the top names in their respective categories but the three last races on the card probably have the most interest.
There may not be a repeat of the incredible Saudi Cup although several of the contestants reappear here, but the two headliners Forever Young and Romantic Warrior are going for different races. Romantic Warrior is going back to the turf in the Dubai Turf 1800m where he is the odds-on favourite and will be opposed by the nearest thing to an Australian runner – Liberty Island from Japan whose dam was the wonderful Yankee Rose. As a mare she gets the weight allowance for taking on the boys. She's on 8/1. We also like Facteur Cheval who had no luck at Saudi but before that ran third on this track and is on 14/1 so definitely one for the multiples as is Brede Weg from Japan who will be partnered by her regular jockey Christophe Lemaire and is on 16/1.
The Sheema, which we feel should be on equal prize money with the Cup, is over 2400m on turf and this year's edition has 9 runners. Calandagan heads the UK markets on 2/1. He's from the late Aga Khan's stable and Francis Graffard has Mikael Barzalona riding.
Godolphin's Rebel's Romance has won his last 3 outings including the HH The Amir's Trophy in Doha and is on 3/1. This looks a good race for Shin Emperor, who if this goes well will head to Europe and have another go at the Arc. He does NOT like soft ground but is very unlikely to find that at Meydan so he should enjoy the surface. As a prep for this he won the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh and Sakai again rides for Yahagi, They are on 11/2 which looks value. Another Japanese runner who impressed at track work this week is Durezza who dead-heated with Shin Emperor for second in last year's Japan Cup and he's also got an Aussie Mum – More Than Sacred. 14/1 looks very tempting.
And the Cup – 11 going for it but for us Forever Young is the stand-out of the meeting as he attempts to be the first horse to win the Saudi-Dubai Cups double. He's basically unbackable but there could be some interesting combos with him as a stand-out. Imperial Emperor is a local who won the G2 Maktoum Classic during the Carnival and is with Bhupat Seemar, who also saddles Walk of Stars. Walk of Stars trains well but somehow nerves get the better of him in the actual race. If he brings his A game he could be a serious challenger but he hasn't shown it too much of late. Imperial Emperor is the choice of Taidgh O'Shea and Walk on Stars Barzalona.
The Japanese are back with more runners – Ushba Tesoro and Wilson Tesoro were third and fourth in the Saudi Cup and the American runner Rattle N Roll was fifth. He was specially prepared for the trip to the Middle East with McPeek bringing him over early and giving him a local race before the big one. He's showing 25/1 which we recommend highly if you can get it. Ushba Tesoro also won this race in 2023 and 14/1 a generous quote.
You can make a case for some of the other runners but that is what we have finished up with at this stage.
We will look at the earlier races tomorrow.
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