Racing: Ruler Of The World eyes Dubai prize

Ryan Moore rides Ruler of the World to victory in the Investec Derby at Epsom last year. Picture: Getty

In October, the 2013 Epsom Derby winner was beaten three-quarters of a length by Farhh and Cirrus des Aigles in the ten-furlong Champion Stakes at Ascot after challenging late in a thrilling three-way finish. However, the Irish-bred son of Galileo has been made 4-1 favourite for the 19th running of the Dubai World Cup, to be televised live on Channel 4, despite returning from a five-month lay-off and the fact that it will be his first run on Meydan’s synthetic tapeta surface.

Harry Herbert, racing advisor of Qatar’s royal Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, who bought a 50 per cent interest in the colt in a last-minute deal, was optimistic after drawing the No 12 stall for the contest. “We would have preferred a lower draw but his jockey, Joseph O’Brien, is a master at getting a good racing position,” said Herbert.

Sixteen runners, including nine Group 1 winners from eight countries, will compete for the prized golden trophy in front of an expected crowd of 60,000 in what connections see as an open race. However, no American horses are participating this year despite Animal Kingdom’s success in 2013.

“It is a very competitive race. We have got horses from Ireland, Hong Kong and Japan, not only local horses,” said jockey Silvestre de Soussa, who will ride 12-1 chance African Story for Godolphin’s boys in blue.

More race mileage may give an edge to Hong Kong-trained runners such as Irish-bred Military Attack, who won the Hong Kong Gold Cup by three lengths in a blazing finish last month for the second year in a row.

“Hong Kong horses that are coming are very, very fit, while a lot of European horses…they have not even had races before,” said John Moore, Military Attack’s trainer, who drew the number eight stall, a figure considered lucky in Hong Kong. “It will definitely give an edge…not necessarily that they are better, it is that we have just got fitness on our side,” added Moore, who believes the six-year-old will finish in the top three in Dubai, where he is the second favourite at 13-2.

Another Hong Kong-trained runner, Akeed Mofeed, is an 8-1 shot despite finishing a disappointing fifth behind Military Attack in the Gold Cup at Sha Tin, sharing the same odds with Saeed bin Suroor’s Prince Bishop. The seven-year-old son of Dubawi, running in Dubai Crown Prince green silks, is seen as the best chance among home World Cup contenders after snatching his first Group 1 win in the Al Maktoum Challenge on 8 March.

“The horse is doing really good. I know we drew [the stall] number one but he has a good turn on foot. He can take any position early, depends how fast will be the race,” Suroor said.

“If he takes the third position in the race I will be happy with him,” he added.

Ed Dunlop’s veteran eight-year-old Red Cadeaux is set to make another bid for the World Cup after losing by two lengths to Animal Kingdom last year.