Dubai World Cup Trackwork Notes (Monday March 23)

$12,000,000 Group 1 Dubai World Cup (Sponsored by Emirates Airline)

Racing’s rock star trio – dirt superstar Forever Young, trainer Yoshito Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai – reunited at Meydan Racecourse on Monday ahead of the five-year-old’s attempt at history in this weekend’s Dubai World Cup.

Victory in the 30th Dubai World Cup will see dual Saudi Cup winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Forever Young surpass Romantic Warrior as the highest-earning racehorse of all time. It will also mark a shot at redemption after the Japanese hero was third last year behind Hit Show, who reopposes 12 months on.

Ridden by Yuki Araki, Forever Young took to the Meydan dirt in partnership with stablemate American Stage, who runs in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

“It was just a lap and a half on the dirt track this morning,” Araki said. “All is well so far.”

Shortly after trackwork, Yahagi and Sakai arrived, only hours after they were in action at Hanshin Racecourse in Osaka. 

In addition to Forever Young and Hit Show, also returning from last year’s World Cup are Bhupat Seemar-trained Walk Of Stars and Imperial Emperor. Both are Group 1 winners over the Meydan dirt.

“They’re doing great,” Seemar said. “I think Imperial Emperor is definitely doing a lot better than last year. I think he was a little bit of a tired horse last year. We freshened him up and he’s doing great. And Walk Of Stars has improved with every run this year, so both are in good shape.

“Forever Young is the best horse in the world, you can’t take anything away from him. He’s danced every dance and it’s great to have a chance to go up against him again.”

$6,000,000 Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic

Legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins normally finds himself creating headlines in March at the iconic Cheltenham Festival, the greatest jumps meeting in the world. That was the case again this year with eight winners across the week, including the two biggest races – the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

However, for the first time in more than a decade, he will attempt an extraordinary March double by aiming to land the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic with Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond – himself a Cheltenham runner the past two years.

The Cheltenham-Dubai double has never been achieved before, although the great Francois Doumen prepared Jim And Tonic to win the 2001 Dubai Duty Free and had Cheltenham Festival winners in 2000, 2002 and 2003 (the 2001 Cheltenham Festival was cancelled).

Mullins has only had one Dubai World Cup night runner previously, when Simenon finished last behind Certerach in the 2014 Dubai Gold Cup. 

Ethical Diamond, though, has already broken new ground for Mullins by giving him a first Breeders’ Cup success. The six-year-old gelding also won the Ebor Handicap at York last year, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes during Royal Ascot.

“He’s very good, he’s eaten up every night and he’s thriving since he’s got here,” said Mullins’ travelling foreman T J Comerford. “He’s in great form. He’s a very easy horse to do anything with, he’s well-mannered and we are really happy with him.

“I was there for the Breeders’ Cup, it was a great day. I didn’t know what to expect but it’s Willie Mullins, you can never put anything past him.”

While the likes of Fantastic Light, St Nicholas Abbey and Rebel’s Romance have won both the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, none has won the Sheema five months after their Turf success.

Surprisingly, that same stat applies for the Japan Cup leading into the Sheema, something that Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Calandagan will attempt to overcome this weekend.

Jeremy Lobel has been an ever-present part of Calandagan’s globetrotting exploits, and is well placed to judge how the 2025 Longines World’s Best Racehorse is, five days out from his second attempt at the Dubai Sheema Classic. 

Lobel said on Monday: “Calandagan was hand-walked on Sunday and today I rode him, though we remained in quarantine, so we were just walking and trotting.

“He was very calm this morning and he’s become a lot more mature with age. His first few days here 12 months ago he was a bit nervous and on his toes but with all the travelling he’s done since then, and he’s much better now.

“The plan is for him to do a hack canter on the main dirt track tomorrow with Rayevka, who worked on the turf today. I think we’ll just keep him ticking over in the days up until the race because he did a really good piece of work just before he left Chantilly.”

$5,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Turf (Sponsored by DP World)

Two years on from a memorable short-head win in the Dubai Turf, Facteur Cheval returns for his third attempt at the 1800m feature. The seven-year-old has not won since but has four Group 1 placings to his name across Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates (on dirt, too, when third to Walk Of Stars in last year’s Al Maktoum Challenge) and Saudi Arabia.

Facteur Cheval worked alongside stablemate and travel companion Lazzat, who contests Saturday’s G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Unlike Facteur Cheval, this is a first trip to Meydan for Lazzat but the pair have had more than a month to acclimatise to their surroundings.

“Today was their last canter, their last fast work ahead of Saturday,” said Nuri Ozdogan, assistant to French trainer Jerome Reynier. “Both horses seem to be very happy, well balanced, they were breathing well and everything was great. 

“They both love Dubai and are really enjoying being here, I’ve noticed it with Lazzat on his first time here. It’s a pleasure for the horses and a pleasure for us travelling with them. Jerome is coming Wednesday and hopefully it is a big weekend for us.”

Fort George and stablemate Northern Champion were among those to take to the Tapeta training track – located beyond Meydan’s back straight – for a routine canter on Monday morning. The Ed Walker-trained duo could enjoy a final turf breeze on Tuesday if the weather co-operates.

Fort George is set to drop back to the 1800m of the Turf on Saturday, having given Rebel’s Romance plenty to think about in the G2 Dubai City of Gold over 2400m on Super Saturday.

“Fort George stayed the mile and a half really well last time and in all of his races he’s always the one that takes the longest to be pulled up after the line,” said stable representative Elouise O’Hart. “He’s got so much heart and he’s very versatile in terms of trip. He stays, he relaxes and he’s got a good turn of foot.”

Of plans for Tuesday, O’Hart added: “Northern Champion and Fort George both did just a regular canter today and as long as the weather holds up, we’ll give them a little breeze tomorrow on the grass, though It’s raining here so I’m not sure if that’s going to happen. 

“It would just be a routine bit to make sure they’re not too fresh but they’ll be fine with or without that.”

$2,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (Sponsored by Nakheel)

An unplaced run proved the ideal lead-in for Tuz to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen by six and a half lengths in 2024 and trainer Bhupat Seemar hopes that lightning can strike twice with the “Russian Frankel” as he tries to wrest back his crown.

Tuz was fancied to go back-to-back last year after an unbeaten season but could only manage third, a length behind Dark Saffron. 

He was fifth at his first run in 11 months in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal at the track and trip, four lengths from El Nasseeb. 

“He’s a nine-year-old now, so we didn’t want to run him as often as we did the year before,” he said. “He’s probably in the form of his life, really. He wasn’t that fit last time, but he’s where we want him to be now.”

Seemar also saddles up American Grade 1 placegetter Drew’s Gold, who is unbeaten in two starts for the trainer including the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint, and Chilean-bred Mufasa, a Grade 3 winner in the United States.

“The plan was to have two runs with Drew’s Gold and freshen him up,” Seemar said. “He’s doing well and he had a good gallop (yesterday). And Mufasa, look, he’s a tricky horse and we’re trying to figure him out. Ryan Moore said last time he should have won and right after the race said he wanted to ride him, so if Ryan sees that, it must be a good thing.”

$1,500,000 Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (Sponsored by AZIZI Developments)

Companions in the international barn since finishing fifth and seventh in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday, French-trained fillies Rayevka and Monteille worked in tandem up the Meydan turf straight on Monday. 

Travelling head groom for trainer Mario Baratti, Anthony Lecordier declared himself very pleased with Monteille after her final serious piece of work. 

“The filly worked very well this morning alongside Rayevka,” said Lecordier. “She knows the Meydan straight now, while she has really enjoyed being in Dubai and her coat looks magnificent. 

“I think she has really strengthened up since her comeback run and there is rain in the forecast through the week, so if there is any ease in the ground, that would suit her.”

Faithful companion to Calandagan, the Aga Khan Studs’ Jeremy Lobel had a ringside seat for Rayevka’s last main blowout. 

“Everything went very well, it was a nice piece of work and [rider] Jules Mobian was very satisfied with how Rayevka went,” said Lobel. “She knows this place very well now.”

Northern Champion made all his starts in Europe last season over 1400m and 1600m, but excelled during the carnival with wins at shorter trips. 

Ed Walker’s stable representative Elouise O’Hart said: “Northern Champion has always had it in him to run over six furlongs [1200 metres]. He’s not a very big horse but he has a great turn of foot and a very straightforward attitude and he’s taken to it very well. 

“He’s a very unexposed sprinter and hopefully we see the best of him on Saturday.”

Rider Rosie Hill reported Run Boy Run to be in great shape after Richard Spencer’s five-year-old, who was second in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, completed 1200m on the secondary Tapeta training track.

$1,000,000 Group 2 UAE Derby (Sponsored by Jumeirah)

Jamie Osborne went agonisingly close to winning the UAE Derby last year with Heart Of Honor, just finishing a nose short of Japanese contender Admire Daytona.

While Heart Of Honor returns for the big dance, the Dubai World Cup, this year, Osborne will attempt to atone in the three-year-old feature with Dubai Road To The Kentucky Derby winner Brotherly Love. Both Heart Of Honor and Brotherly Love are sons of Chilean Group 1 winner Ruby Love, making them half-brothers.

Brotherly Love won the 1900m lead-up comfortably, while Heart Of Honor was just beaten in the former Al Bastakiya by Galactic Star last year. 

“We’re very happy with them both,” said Osborne’s assistant Jimmy McCarthy after both Brotherly Love and Heart Of Honor completed a 10-furlong canter on the main track. “They did their last piece of work on Friday and all went well.”

Both horses will be ridden by Osborne’s daughter Saffie, who will aim to become the first female jockey to win at the meeting.

Japan has won the UAE Derby the last four years and they have two runners this year: Godolphin colt Pyromancer and Wonder Dean, who was second to Pyromancer in November.

Daisuke Takayanagi-trained Wonder Dean finished fourth in the G3 Saudi Derby last start behind Al Haram, who also lines up at Meydan.

“Wonder Dean has gained weight from the Saudi Derby,” said Takayanagi stable representative Takuya Nakano. “He is moving well and I am happy.” 

$1,000,000 Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup (Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors)

Al Nayyir produced an excellent performance first up when getting the better of Sunway in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy last month, and the Tom Clover trainee is reported to be in excellent form ahead of the rematch on Saturday. 

“He has galloped for each of the last two Saturdays,” said stable representative Molly Keegan-Price. “He did a good piece two Saturdays ago and he went really well. 

“We galloped him again on Saturday just gone, when I rode him and he feels super.”

Keegan-Price added: “We’ll just try and keep him happy this weekend then we’ll see what he can do on Saturday. 

“He’s been on the [Tapeta] training track since we arrived, there’s been no need to take him on the main track. He’s done his gallops on the turf training track as well, he’s happy over there.” 

G2 Dubai City Of Gold third Burdett Road also undertook similar work for rider Cassie Owen, returning to the stables in tandem with Al Nayyir.

$1,000,000 Group 2 Godolphin Mile (Sponsored by EMAAR)

Bhupat Seemar is set to saddle up six of the 12 runners in the Godolphin Mile, the most any single trainer has ever sent out in one race at the Dubai World Cup meeting.

His sextet is headed by G3 Burj Nahar winner Commissioner King and runner-up The Camden Colt, G3 Firebreak Stakes victor Mendelssohn Bay and American Grade 1 placegetter World Record, while last-start handicap winners Zandvoort and Diamond Dealer add another intriguing element.

“It’s not about quantity, it’s hopefully about quality. I think they’re all doing pretty good actually, so hopefully we can run really well there,” Seemar said.

“Commissioner King and Mendelssohn Bay are the form horses, they’ve got the ratings, but then there are some young pretenders who are coming along at the right time.”

Commissioner King and Mendelssohn Bay drew the inside two gates when declarations were released on Monday morning, with World Record in three, Zandvoort in six, The Camden Colt in seven and Diamond Dealer in 11.

$1,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic (Sponsored by Zabeel Feed Mill)

Defending champion First Classs returns to Meydan, having won the G1 Obaiyah Arabian Classic in Saudi Arabia last start.

Doug Watson’s First Classs lines up for the fifth time in the Dubai Kahayla Classic, having won in 2022 and 2025. He was also third in 2023 and last in 2024.

“He was second in the Maktoum Challenge and was in such good form that we decided to go to Saudi and it all worked out,” Watson said.

“It’s his third season for us and in the last two seasons at this time of year he keeps finding himself. He’s just a happy horse who loves the attention.

“He came back in really good shape, didn’t lose much weight at all and he’s been fresh and well since he’s been back here. The goal at the beginning of the year was to win a third Kahayla.”