Defending champion Ushba Tesoro has drawn stall five in a 12-runner field for Saturday’s Dubai World Cup at Meydan as he closes out his career in the $12 million Meydan showpiece.
The Japanese star, who is 5-2 favourite with British bookmakers, faces a rematch with US challenger Senor Buscador, with a head having separated the pair in last month’s Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race.
Full racecard for Meydan on Saturday
Ushba Tesoro’s name was the first to be picked out in the ceremony at the Armani Dubai Hotel on Wednesday evening, with the position assigned at random for the Emirates Airline-sponsored event.
“Stall five is not so bad but he’s a horse that has to come from behind so really one to 12 makes no difference,” said jockey Yuga Kawada.
Trainer Noboru Takagi added: “He’s going to come from the back anyway so it doesn’t really matter.”
Todd Fincher-trained Senor Buscador, the pride of his breeder and co-owner Joe Peacock Jr, was the second name selected and will break from stall 10. “Very happy,” Peacock Jr said. “We wanted outside and we got outside.”
Kazakhstan’s front-running sensation Kabirkhan, who is trained in the UAE by Doug Watson, drew two.
“I kind of wanted the middle,” Watson said. “If he always broke really well I’d be delighted – but he hasn’t done that. We’ve been working on it, but we hope he can do it on the night. At least it’s a shorter way around.”
Owner Tlek Mukanbetkaliyev added: “Happy to get an inside draw and hopefully he can be comfortable near the lead.”
Japan has brought a strong representation for the 2,000-metre showdown with ace jockey Christophe Lemaire back aboard Derma Sotogake (stall eight), a dazzling winner of the UAE Derby at this meeting last year and subsequently the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Trainer Hidetaka Otonashi said: “We didn’t mind any stall really. Eight is considered a lucky number in Japan so that’s pretty good!”
Lemaire described stall eight as “a very good draw in the middle which allows me to go forward into the first bend without burning up too much gas.”
Frankie Dettori is back aboard Bob Baffert-trained Newgate, a recent winner under the legendary rider in the fabled Santa Anita Handicap. Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes was on hand as he was assigned stall six.
The other big local hope is Juddmonte’s Laurel River, who is trained by Bhupat Seemar and entered the Dubai World Cup picture after a clear-cut victory in the Burj Nahaar earlier this month. He must run from the widest stall of all in 12.
Jockey Tadhg O’Shea said: “Obviously being right on the outside is far from ideal. Saying that he’s a horse with a lot of early speed and we’ll just have to play the cards we’re dealt.”
The line-up is completed by Crupi (1), two more Japanese runners Dura Erede (3) and Wilson Tesoro (11), Defunded (9), Military Law (4) and Clapton (7) .
Trainer Chad Summers said of Clapton: "We were hoping to be drawn in the middle."
Alex Solis, owners’ representative of Crupi, said: “We’re drawn inside so hopefully we can save all the ground.”
Wilson Tesoro’s jockey Yusuke Hara said: “The last two starts the jockey asked him to take a position early, so I’m expecting him to be a little bit keen. So that stall is ideal.”
Dubai World Cup betting (Coral): 5-2 Ushba Tesoro, 4 Derma Sotogake, Kabirkhan, 7 Senor Buscador, 8 Newgate, 10 Laurel River, 16 Crupi, Wilson Tesoro, 20 Dura Erede, 50 Defunded, Military Law, 66 Clapton
• Visit the Dubai Racing Club website
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