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The Bookmakers clearly believe
that So You Think is the horse to beat in this year’s Dubai World Cup
and with jockey Joseph O’Brien confirming as much in very bullish
manner, punters might be foolish to oppose him.
The six year old from the
Ballydoyle stable of Aidan O’Brien is around the 5/2 mark with the
nearest to him in the betting is the top class Japanese dirt star and
11/2 chance, Smart Falcon, a winner of his last nine starts which
includes six at Group One level.
So You Think will start the
world’s richest race from stall four which Joseph O’Brien believes is
ideal. The young jockey has stated that with so much quality in the
race, a fast pace is guaranteed which will suit the Australian import
who is said to have wintered exceptionally well at the Ballydoyle yard.
He will come to the race in his best possible form which has O’Brien
convinced that he will show the racing world what he is all about after
his not so convincing performance in the Breeder’s Cup Classic back in
November.
Smart Falcon, drawn next door to
So You Think in box five, is said to have lost 20 kilos on the trip over
from Japan but trainer Ken Kozaki is happy enough that he will have
sufficient time for that weight to be replaced. The top rated Japanese
dirt runner is rapidly becoming a legend back home and a win at Meydan
on Saturday would reinforce that belief in him. Should he win, it will
be a second successive victory in the race for Japanese horses.
The 2011 Breeder’s Cup Classic
second, Game On Dude, trained by Bob Baffert, has also been backed but
is still only rated a 10/1 chance in the latest
Dubai World Cup betting to confirm the Breeders Cup form with So You
Think. The five year old warmed up nicely for the race by winning the
Grade Two San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita over nine furlongs last
month and is said by his trainer to have trained on and is enjoying the
atmosphere in Dubai. Game On Dude is drawn in stall 14 on the wide
outside.
The top rated filly from the
USA, Royal Delta who won the Grade 1
Fillies & Mares
Breeders Cup Ladies Classic last November warmed up for the Dubai
World Cup by finishing second to Awesome Maria in the Grade 3 Stakes
race at Gulfstream Park at the end of February. Trainer William Mott was
not downcast by the defeat but was pleased with his mare who ran a great
race from which she will improve and he believes she is in with a great
chance from stall seven.
Zazou trained by Waldermar
Hickst and now owned by Chechen President, Ramzan Kadyrov is a very
interesting entry with a number of top rated globe-trotting performances
under his belt. In his latest win on the polytrack at Chantilly he gave
2/5 odds on favourite, Cirrus Des Aigle a 2½ length beating. Cirrus Des
Aigles of course won the Grade 1 Champions Stakes over 10 furlongs at
Ascot last season where he had So You Think ¾ length back in second
place. This is form that gives Zazou a very decent chance in this,
particularly at attractive odds of 14/1.
The pick of the four pronged
Godolphin challenge has to be the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge winner,
Capponi, who will be ridden by Ahmed Atjebi, who is extremely confident
that a big run is on the cards. Atjebi pointed out that he will improve
for his Al Maktoum triumph, the horse loves the course, he is big and
strong and being drawn in stall 3 can only help his cause. Trainer,
Mahmood Al Zarooni is equally as confident and believes that Atjebi is
the perfect rider to get the 5 year old home.
However, as it stands, it is So
You Think that sets the standard on his best form and if he is anywhere
close to that on Saturday, then he should be more than capable of adding
a ninth Group one victory to his resume.
Selections:
Winner: So You Think @ 5/2
Each Way: Zazou @ 14/1