Favourite Hunter’s Light to start from stall four in Dubai

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained five-year-old was a Group 2 winner at the track in February and sealed his place at the head of the market when winning the third round of the Maktoum Challenge earlier this month. He is one of three runs in the Godolphin blue for the ten-furlong race, with last year’s winner Monterosso going for glory again from stall ten and African Story in 11.

Capponi will start from stall five as he bids to go one place better than his second in 2012, while Kassiano is widest of all in 13 to complete the teams for Saeed bin Suroor and Mahmood al Zarooni.

Top American mare Royal Delta enjoyed no luck at all in finishing ninth last year but the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic winner will be hoping for better fortunes this time in stall eight. Fellow American runner Dullahan is in stall two, while there are three British runners, headed by Marco Botti’s Planteur in stall seven. Hong Kong Vase winner Red Cadeaux will be in stall two for Ed Dunlop, with Andrew Balding’s Side Glance in six.

Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, will be in stall 12, with the Andre Fabre-trained Meandre in nine and outsider Treasure Beach (one) rounding out the field. The nine-race World Cup card has a total purse of $27.25 million (£18m).

Meanwhile, Denis O’Regan has been snapped up by trainer Tom George for the ride on Big Fella Thanks in the John Smith’s Grand National, on 6 April. The Irish-born jockey has yet to win the Aintree spectacular but he went close when second on the Dessie Hughes-trained Black Apalachi behind Don’t Push It in 2010.

Big Fella Thanks has got round in three Nationals, finishing fourth, sixth and seventh, and was also third in the Becher Chase over the famous fences in December. The 11-year-old also holds an entry in the Topham Chase at the three-day meeting next week, but the National is the favoured target.

Seabass was third 12 months ago and his trainer Ted Walsh is expecting another good run, especially as the ten-year-old has coped with his revised mark when third in the Bobbyjo Chase last month.

“The Bobbyjo was the first time he’d run off his new mark of 154, so I was glad to see him run up to it,” said Walsh.

One horse ruled out of the big race is Prince De Beauchene, who is suffering from a stress fracture in his ilium (pelvis).

Willie Mullins’ charge had been among the leading contenders for the Aintree showpiece after winning over hurdles on his return and finishing second in the Bobbyjo.

Mullins and Prince De Beauchene’s owner Graham Wylie still have ante-post favourite On His Own in the National field. Both Coral and Betfred have cut On His Own to 7-1 favourite following the news about Prince De Beauchene.