Godolphin runners land favourable draws

Godolphin’s four runners in the $10-million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline seem to have luck in their favour after being handed comfortable draws at the Meydan Imax on Wednesday.

The post position draw ceremony took place three days before the 14 runners start the 2012 Dubai World Cup line up on Saturday.

Trainers and owners were able to choose the stall positions as each horse’s name was drawn by stewardesses of Emirates Airline.

The Dubai-based stable's representatives, trainer Saeed bin Surour and racing manager Simon Crisford, were pleased with their picks for Capponi (11), Monterosso (8), Prince Bishop (12) and Mendip (13).

Irish favourite So You Think will break from gate four while North American hopeful Game On Dude will have to go the long way round after drawing the outside post.

Keith Dalton, representing Ballydoyle trainer Aiden O’Brien said: “I was on the phone to Aidan O’Brien and he chose the fourth position, so I guess we’re happy.”

Owner Bernie Schiappa was philosphical after being left with the dreaded 14th position: “Perfect position. Lanni (part owner of Game on Dude who passed away last year) was born on March 14, so 14 is a special number for us. It’s perfect. The outside is fine with me. I can’t repeat what Bob (trainer Baffert) said on the phone.”

“It’s fine. Whatever happens, I’ll deal with it. He has a tendency to sometimes break slow and if he was to do that, it could put us in a bit of a predicament on the rail, so on the outside we have more options,” added jockey Chantal Sutherland who is seeking to become the first female jockey to win the Dubai World Cup.

Crisford acted for trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni whose Monterosso (Mickael Barzalona) was the first Godolphin horse to be selected.

The Godolphin racing manager said: “We talked to all of our jockeys in the race and they felt from stall 8 outward is the place to be. It can get very tight on the inside, especially if the pace is slow. If you miss the kick, you’re likely to be in trouble. The pace looks likely to come from Game On Dude in stall 14, which has panned out well for us. Monterosso can sit handy, he finishes his races well.”

After drawing 11 for Capponi (Ahmed Ajtebi), Crisford said: “Being on the outside is preferable to being very tight on the inside. Capponi has gone up 18lbs in the ratings since January 1 and very much deserves to be in the race. He is fresh and well and we are hoping for a good run.”

The next two horses drawn were Godolphin’s two other runners - Prince Bishop (Frankie Dettori) and Mendip (Silvestre de Sousa) - and their trainer Saeed bin Suroor went for 12 and 13 respectively.

He commented: “I talked to Frankie (Dettori) about Prince Bishop before coming to the draw ceremony and we wanted between 8 and 12.

“I was therefore happy to get 12 for Prince Bishop - the same with Mendip - I wanted an outside stall rather than an inside one for him so 13 is fine.

“I would prefer Mendip to be handy in the race, while ideally Prince Bishop would be in the middle."

“Both have been working well and are sound and healthy. I am happy with them and they are ready to go. We just need luck now."
 
Bill Mott, who saddled Cigar to victory in the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996, said the number seven that Royal Delta drew had worked for him in the past.

“It’s the middle of the field. She’ll get a good look at the field from there and number seven has been our lucky number. We’d love for her to win. The reason we’re really here is to see if we can win. I can’t predict the outcome but she is doing really well – well enough to win a race like this,” he said hoping his filly would go onto create history.

The other horse connections were also happy with the outcome.
 
Smart Falcon's trainer Ken Kozaki said: "It was an ideal draw (stall five). It was not too inside. It was what we wanted to draw."
 
Eishen Flash's trainer Hideaki Fujiwara said: "Actually I wanted to take the middle part of the gate, but those posts were all taken. I had to choose between the 2 and 9, and I took 2. This horse showed good performance from the inside at home, so it's okay."
 
"I would have preferred to be more in the middle, but those places were taken. I think number three is very good. I think you're better off inside than outside," said Zazou's German owner Werner Heinz.
 
Zazou's rider Olivier Peslier said: "I'm very happy with the draw. We're just next to So You Think and I've got Master of Hounds on the other side, so those two should keep me out of trouble."
 
Planteur's owner Ahmad Al Falasi said: "We wanted somewhere between 4 and 7 so I was happy that 6 was available."
 
Master Of Hounds will start in stall one and Yousuf Al Sayegh, Racing Manager said: "There were only (gates) 1 or 14 left (when our name was pulled) and we preferred to be inside."
 
Last year’s Dubai World Cup runner-up to Victoire Pisa, Japan's Transcend will burst out from stall 10 and owner Koji Maeda said: "Number 10 is what I wanted to draw because we can watch the other runners inside of us."
 

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