Animal Kingdom aims for glory

If it is horses for courses home favourite Hunter's Light would win the $10 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline on Saturday without breaking sweat.

The Irish raider has enjoyed an impressive run in the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three sponsored by Emirates Airline at Meydan over 10 furlongs on Tapeta on March 9, providing the 200th Group One victory for Godolphin.

He has won five of his last six races, all by at least two lengths and comes into the Dubai World Cup in top form.

But his trainer Saeed bin Suroor knows form would count for nothing on the biggest night of racing in Dubai especially when you are up against a world class field equally hungry for success.

The world's richest horse race run over 2,000 metres has attracted some of America's finest thoroughbreds including 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Dual Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta.

Godolphin has five challengers for the feature race, the Group One Dubai World Cup - Hunter's Light, Monterosso, African Story, Capponi and Kassiano.

The Dubai-based stable owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has produced six winners in the world's richest race - Almutawakel (1999), Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002), Moon Ballad (2003), Electrocutionist (2006) and Monterosso (2012).

Animal Kingdom has been in good spirits on the training track since arriving in Dubai. However, the five-year-old's prospects suffered a setback when he was allocated post position 12 in the 13-runner field.

"He's won at the same distance. He is a tough horse. He has brilliant results in America," said bin Suroor, who has trained five Dubai World Cup winners but not since 2006.

"Our horse is an Italian winner, Dubai winner. But he needs to improve in this race."

Only one horse has won from post position 11 or higher in 69 races run on Tapeta at the recent Dubai Winter Carnival.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford also acknowledged the threat from the Americans when he said: "We do have a strong hand in the Dubai World Cup but, if the American contingent is on song and they take to the surface, then they would be much better than anything we have to offer."

"Our five horses are good and they love this track. Obviously, we have a home advantage because we have been racing here throughout the Carnival but I do believe that our horses would not have the same class as Animal Kingdom and Royal Delta," he noted.

"Of course, just because they are better quality horses does not mean they are going to win because we are racing at Meydan and our horses love the surface," added Crisford.

Indeed since Meydan opened in 2010, the all-weather surface has not been a happy hunting ground to American horses.

They have never won the world's richest horse race at Meydan despite sending Game on Dude last year and three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti in 2011.

American horses regularly won on the old dirt track, taking eight of the first 14 races.

"When it was on the dirt, Americans dominated. Now it's on a sort of middle surface between dirt and grass," said Barry Irwin, founder of Team Valor which co-owns Animal Kingdom.

"It's always been my goal to prove that the Derby wasn't just him getting lucky," Animal Kingdom trainer Graham Motion said. "He is the best horse I've ever trained. He is an exceptional animal. I certainly have never come here with a contender like this, and quite frankly I never imagined I would have a contender for the World Cup like he is."

So there is a flicker of hope that Godolphin could repeat their success of last year when Mahmoud Al Zarooni won the World Cup 12 months ago with Monterosso, who lines up once again.

The trainer also fields Capponi, last year's runner-up. French rider Mikael Barzalona renews his partnership with Monterosso while Emirati jockey Ahmed Ajtebi is aboard Capponi.

"Hunter's Light would be our first choice. He has done everything very well. If it comes down to horses for courses, he just loves it at Meydan. He won on the all-weather in Turkey last September and then he gained a Group One in soft ground in Rome. If he can keep on the upward curve, then he is going to be very competitive. He has pleased everybody and is in good form. We go there with every hope," warned Crisford.

"He is a horse who is improving all the time and a tough performer. He will be there at the end because he has a big heart. A mile and a quarter is the best trip for him and he has pleased me in the run-up to this race - his biggest test. He handles the surface really well and worked pleasingly earlier this week," said bin Suroor.

"The pressure (for the horses to run well) is always there, especially in the big races. I have been a trainer for Godolphin for 19 years and when you go for Group Ones you feel the pressure. There is more pressure in Dubai as we are racing before our people and the best horses come from all around the world," added the Godolphin trainer.

Horses from Britain, France, South Africa and the USA will oppose the five-strong home team with Royal Delta aiming to become the first female to win in 18 renewals.

Royal Delta returns for a second tilt at a race she contested last year, although the five-year-old mare met severe traffic in running and could never express herself.

Nevertheless, Royal Delta's trainer, Bill Mott, is bolstered by what he has seen in the build-up.

"She is doing very well, having travelled over very well," said Mott, who won the inaugural Dubai World Cup with Cigar in 1996.

"I also feel the surface is a bit faster this year. It was more oily last year but my horse seems to be moving extremely well over it this time."

Dullahan trainer Dale Romans expected a strong showing on Saturday from the American horses, considering their pedigree.

"You have the Kentucky Derby winner, three Breeder Cup winners, Dullahan is a three-time graded winner and won one of our more prestigious races, the Pacific Classic," he said. "You are getting the best of us for this World Cup, for sure."

Jockey Gary Stevens will ride Dullahan just months after coming out of retirement. Stevens won the Dubai World Cup on Silver Charm in 1998 and came in second in the 1996 race behind the Mott-trained Cigar.

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