Dubai: The $6million Dubai World Cup (Group 1), the richest race in the world which will be run at Nad Al Sheba racecourse next Saturday, has attracted a top-notch field of ten runners headed by the four-time Group 1 winner Kane Hekili from Japan.
The provisional list, released yesterday by the Emirates Racing Association, includes horses from five different countries - America (, Japan, the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Among them are five Group or Grade 1 winners Brass Hat (Donn Handicap), Electrocutionist (Juddmonte International Stakes/ Gran Premio Di Milano), Kane Hekili (Japan Cup dirt, February Stakes, Japan Dirt Derby and Derby Grand Prix), Star King Man (Tokyo Daishoten) and Wilko (Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Both Japan and America appear to have a strong hand in the race, with the Japanese represented by two dirt specialists and the Americans by four.
Choctaw Nation, third to Roses In May in last year's Dubai World Cup for American will race for the UAE after being acquired by multiple champion owner Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Choctaw Nation warmed up for his second shot at the Dubai World Cup by crushing a depleted Santa Anita Park allowance field.
Trained by Jeff Mullins Choctaw Nation was winning for the seventh time in 15 career starts and the first of 2006 after beginning the year with an unplaced effort in the San Gabriel Handicap (Group 2) on turf.
Triple Grade winner in American Magna Graduate and Super Frolic, who was fourth behind Saint Liam in the Breeders' Cup Classic, will also take their place in a race that American have won five out of ten times. Electrocutionist, last year's International Stakes winner at York, will carry the UAE flag in the race.
The former Italian horse passed his Dubai World Cup test with a stunning performance over course and distance in the third round of the Maktoum Challenge two weeks ago.
The UK, seeking their first win in the race after Singspiel in 1997, are likely to have a lone representative in Maraahel.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who also saddled Singspiel to victory, Maraahel isalso being considered for the $5million Dubai Sheema Classic. A decision is to taken shortly.
Star-studded field
$6 million Dubai World Cup (Group 1)
(Provisional list of runners likely to contest the race on March 25)
No. Horse Trainer Country Notable Group 1 wins
- Brass Hat (Buff Bradley) USA Donn Handicap
- Choctaw Nation (Jeff Mullins) UAE -
- Chiquitin (Ian Jory) S. Arabia -
- Electrocutionist (Saeed bin Surour) UAE Juddmonte International
- Kane Hekili (Katsuhiko Sumii) Japan Japan Cup Dirt
- Magna Graduate (Todd Plectcher) USA -
- Maraahel* (Sir Michael Stoute) UK -
- Super Frolic (Vladimir Cerin) USA -
- Star King Man (Hideyuki Mori) Japan Tokyo Daishoten
- Wilko (Jeremy Noseda) USA Breeders' Cup Juvenile
(Note: A decision on whether Maraahel runs in the Dubai World Cup or the Dubai Sheema Classic, is yet to be made).
