G1 Dubai World Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Country Grammer, Life Is Good to WinStar for R&R

Following their performances in the GI Dubai World Cup, beaten favorite Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and race winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) are on their way to WinStar Farm for a freshening before they return to serious training. WinStar President and CEO Elliott Walden estimated that their stay at the farm will last from 30 to 45 days.

WinStar is the co-owner of both horses.

Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), who finished ninth in the GI Dubai Turf, is also being sent to WinStar.

The heavy favorite in the wagering, Life Is Good, who is also owned by the China Horse Club, suffered just the second defeat in his career. He led for most of the way but weakened in the final sixteenth of a mile, which suggests that the mile-and-a-quarter distance was not to his liking. He finished fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.

“I thought he ran well,” Walden said. “We were obviously disappointed that he didn't win, but it's not like he laid down and threw in the towel. He ran hard. I think the track was not quite to his liking. They ran a mile-and-a-quarter in 2:04.97. In the Shaheen sprint they went in 1:11 and change. Those horses should have gone in 1:09. The mile-and-a-quarter on this type of track was a big factor.”

Before the Dubai World Cup, the GI Metropolitan S. had been mentioned as a possible starting spot for Life Is Good, but Walden said it was too early to make any plans so far as his future racing schedule.

Closing relentlessly in the final furlong, Country Grammer, also owned by Zedan Racing, drew clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow). He is trained by Bob Baffert, the former trainer of Life Is Good.

“Country Grammer ran super,” Walden said. “We felt like that if Life is Good stubbed his toe he could be a horse that could win and that's what happened.”

Walden said that no races had been picked out as of yet for Country Grammer but listed the GI Pacific Classic as a possibility.

As for Hot Rod Charlie, trainer Doug O'Neill said some time off at a farm is also a possibility for the four-year-old.

“He came back in good shape and I can tell you that we have no idea where we are going with him,” O'Neill said. “He'll come back to my barn and then we will go over him and talk with the owners. He may get a couple weeks at a local farm to graze and get some sun on his back. He's earned it. I was elated with how well he ran. We were so optimistic going into the gate and then mid-race it looked like it wasn't going to be his day. Then turning for him, he came running down the inside and I got to the point where I thought he might win. It was a whirlwind of emotions.”

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Life Is Good Draws Gate One in Dubai World Cup

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in dominating fashion, has drawn gate one in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup. The 4-year-old colt is six for seven, with five of his wins at the graded level.

Elliott Walden, president and racing manager of co-owner WinStar Farm said, “It's an 11-horse field. He has enough time to get over, and has enough speed to put himself in a good position. It's been amazing. He has a beautiful way of moving, I think he knows he's special. It is just a blessing to have him. It's a great honour to be favourite. We feel grateful to have him.”

The Todd Pletcher trainee is joined in the starting gate by American compatriots and Grade I winners Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in stall seven for Roadrunner, Boat Racing, Strauss & Gainesway and trainer Doug O'Neill; and Bob Baffert's Country Grammer (Tonalist), who runs for Zedan Racing, WinStar and Commonwealth TB, who leaves from gate five.

Leandro Mora, assistant trainer to Doug O'Neill, said, “[We are] very happy. He needs to prove it. We talked about it we wanted any post from one through seven, so we are happy.”

Added Roadrunner Racing's Greg Helm, “To be a part of this event in Dubai is outrageous. I am shaking like a leaf. I'm so excited to be here.”

Steve Asmussen's multiple Grade I-placed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), who carries the silks of Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, has drawn post eight.

Carlos Rosas, exercise rider for Asmussen, said, “I didn't want him inside drawn on the rail so we have gone for the middle in eight. Hopefully his jockey Jose Ortiz can get a good position from there. He has been training beautifully since he finished third in the Saudi Cup.”

The 2000-metre main track race is a truly international contest, as Godolphin's duo of Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and last year's third-place finisher Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro), for trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Andre Fabre, leave from stalls six and nine, respectively.

Bin Suroor said, “I'm very happy with that, we've got the best draw. This was always the plan for him and we've always trained him on the all-weather track at home. He's always shown his form really well on that and he's trained really well so I'm very happy with him. He worked last Saturday and it was the best work I've ever seen, clocking 1:26 on the bridle.”

He added, “He came back very well from his last run, his draw is brilliant and Christophe [Soumillon] the jockey knows the track very well. He's a two-time winner of the race [with Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) in 2018 and 2019] so it's great to have him on our side.

“It's a very tough race and it's hard to win. You always have to have a good horse. We've won it nine times and we'll try to do it again.”

Godolphin's managing director Hugh Anderson added of Magny Cours, “We have the best trainer in Europe at present and the leading jockey in Dubai on our side. Maybe they won't thank me for drawing nine, but he is in better form now having disappointed us a little last time in Saudi. He finished third in this race last year so we know he likes the track.”

Super Saturday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 victor Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a colourbearer for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and trainer Salem bin Ghadayer, leaves from stall 10. Dubawi (Ire)'s Remorse (Ire), second to Hypothetical, will exit from the widest post, 11, for Al Rashid Stables, LLC and trainer Bhupat Seemar.

Japan, which has launched their strongest assault to date on the Dubai World Cup card, is represented by Shinobu Nakanishi's Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) from post three. He was runner-up in the 2021 edition of the race.

Trainer Ryuji Okubo said, “I'm happy with the gate and his condition is better than last year. He's got the experience of Meydan last year and that has served him well for this year. I'm happier this year and gate three is perfect.”

Stud Old Friends and Antonio Cintra's Aero Trem (Brz) (Shanghai Bobby) will leave from barrier two. Cintra said, “It's a good draw for him, he's a horse that can't run in the back [during his races] so it's a good draw.

“We're very proud to be here again. Last season was the first time we had a horse in the World Cup but I think this year we arrive with Aero Trem who is looking 100% so we're hoping for a good race from him.”

Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz's Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a Group 3 winner in Germany for William Haggas, has drawn gate four.

Haggas's wife Maureen, said, “We're quite happy with that, he's inexperienced on the dirt so he wouldn't have wanted to be drawn on the inside in stalls one to three. To be more to the outside is better for him and he'll work it out on the dirt.”

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Dubai World Cup Night Card Attracts 32 Group 1 Winners

The likely fields for the nine group races (one Arabian and eight Thoroughbred) of the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card on Mar. 26, were revealed on Thursday. A total of 32 Group/Grade 1 winners will take part in the Meydan showpiece.

Todd Pletcher trainee Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., anchors the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Fellow Americans joining him in the field are Grade I winners Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow)-who already sports a win over the surface in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 earlier this winter for Doug O'Neill, and Country Grammer (Tonalist), while the multiple Grade I-placed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) also takes part. The latter pair were second and third in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 26, and are trained by Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen, respectively. Last year's Dubai World Cup second and third, Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Godolpin's Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) have also signed on. Another in the royal blue is Group 2 winner Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from the yard of Saeed bin Suroor. Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the winner of the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 at the beginning of the month and the second-place finisher Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), are also part of the field.

A field of 14 lines up in the $6-million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, with a pair of Japanese Group 1 winner-Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) representing the Land of the Rising Sun. Godolphin's GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby and G1 Coronation Cup victor Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) have also thrown their hats in the ring. Others in the Sheema Classic are William Haggas's Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), while Owen Burrows will saddle G2 Dubai City Of Gold scorer Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

John and Thady Gosden's Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will defend his title in the 1800-metre $5-million G1 Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World, but multiple Group 1 winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) and a trio of Japanese hopefuls–Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), Vin De Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})–will make his task difficult.

In the $2-million 1200-metre G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Atlantis Dubai, American Grade I winners Dr. Schivel (VIolence) and Drain The Clock (Maclean's Music) lock horns with the Japanese duo of Chain Of Love (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Red Le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). Another Japanese entrant, Copano Kicking (Sprint At Last), who ran fifth in the 2021 Golden Shaheen, has been withdrawn from consideration due to an injury.

On turf, the 1200-metre $1,500,000 G1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments sees three Charlie Appleby Godolphin colourbearers-Group 1 winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Man Of Promise (Into Mischief) and Group 2 winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) go up against European Group 1 winners Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) and A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}).

Classic hopefuls square off in the $1-million 1900-metre G2 UAE Derby Sponsored By Irwin, and Bob Baffert's GI Del Mar Futurity and G3 Saudi Derby victor Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) heads the field, which also includes the Saudi Derby runner-up Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes). The 1600-metre $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Nakheel features last year's winner Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who is aiming to defend his title. The longest race on the card, is the 3200-metre $1-million G2 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors on grass. Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi saddles G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. winner Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who will face the undefeated G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy winner Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.

“We are delighted with the strength of the entries for the 26th Dubai World Cup meeting,” said Major General Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, General Manager of Dubai Racing Club. “We have strength and depth across all nine races and it's wonderful to have so many different countries represented.

“We are also extremely happy to be able to welcome back a capacity crowd for the first time since 2019 and we hope that everyone will enjoy a superb evening of racing.”

The G1 Kahayla Classic for Arabians will begin at 3:45 p.m. local time, and the Dubai World Cup will take place at 8:30 p.m. Meydan Racecourse opens at 12 p.m., and tickets are available on the Dubai Racing Club website.

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FS1 Provides Coverage of Dubai World Cup

FS1 will offer live coverage of the G1 Dubai World Cup, with post time scheduled for 12:50 p.m. EST, Saturday, Mar. 27. Additionally, the deep undercard features six stakes, which will air live from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST on FS1. Coverage of the Dubai World Cup card on FS1 is presented by Star Guitar.

Rishi Persad, Tom Stanley and Angus McNae will be hosting the action from London, while Nick Lightfoot and Bernard Condren will bring viewers all the latest from Meydan Racecourse. The race call will be provided by Craig Evans. Laffit Pincay III will offer stateside updates live from Aqueduct Racetrack. Wagering is available in the United States via NYRA Bets.

In addition to the Dubai World Cup, the telecast will include live coverage of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic [12:10 p.m.].

The Dubai World Cup undercard includes the G2 Godolphin Mile; G2 Dubai Gold Cup; G1 Al Quoz Sprint; G2 UAE Derby; G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen and G1 Dubai Turf.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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