Before the headline act of Dubai World Cup night takes centre stage, there are two prestigious Group 1 races on the turf to be won on Saturday at Meydan.
The first of which is the Dubai Turf, over 1 mile 1 furlong, where Lord North will attempt to win the race for a third time, having become the first two-time winner twelve months ago when he dead-heated with Panthalassa.
A third triumph for Lord North and a fourth for Frankie Dettori would be a fitting way for the jockey to say farewell in what will be his last World Cup meeting. They are 8.50 with William Hill for John & Thady Gosden.
Two Japan-trained horses are leading the market, though, with Do Deuce for Yasuo Tomomichi at 3.25 and Mitsumasa Nakauchida’s Serifos at 4.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 22nd, 2:00 P.M. (GMT)
4-year-old Do Deuce had a torrid time at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but bounced back to win the Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen at Hanshin.
Serifos, also four, is also coming into this after a win at Hanshin, taking the Grade 1 Mile Championship. This will be the first time he goes the extra furlong.
Nations Pride is the best-fancied of a Godolphin trio (9.00), who has improved since eighth in last year’s Epsom Derby, though Real World (11.00) and Master Of The Seas (13.00) cannot be discounted in the 16-strong field.
The prize money for the winner goes up to £3 million for the penultimate race of the evening, the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Shahryar is attempting to be the first multiple winner of the 1 mile 4 furlong race, first run in 1998.
The 5-year-old is without a win from three runs since then, though the only one at this distance produced a second place in the Japan Cup last time out.
Prior, the 9.00 chance was fifth in the Tenno Sho in October, which was won by Saturday’s 2.10 favourite, Equinox.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 22nd, 2:00 P.M. (GMT)
At 4-years-old, Equinox has had five runs, with only a Grade 2 debut not at Grade 1 level. Christophe Lemaire has guided him to three wins and two seconds, with a win in the Arima Kinen in December the most recent.
Like Do Deuce, Mostahdaf had an awful time in the Prix de l’Arc before securing a win, with the 5-year-olds coming in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh. Jim Crowley rides the 6.50 second favourite as he did in those last two outings.
William Buick rides Rebel’s Romance (7.00) who has won his last five, while Westover’s (7.00) form has been patchy despite winning the Irish Derby.
