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2023 Dubai World Cup at Meydan: the runners, the odds, the verdict

Dettori recorded a fourth victory in the Dubai World Cup on Country Grammer this year
Country Grammer and Frankie Dettori landed last year's Dubai World CupCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Emirates Airline-backed Dubai World Cup (4.35) is the day's feature race at Meydan on Saturday. The Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer beat Hot Rod Charlie to clinch the big event under Frankie Dettori last year, and he returns for another crack against some hot competition, including the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Algiers. Who will take home the first prize of £6 million? Get our verdict and more in our runner-by-runner guide . . .


Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (4.35 Meydan): racecard and betting


1 Algiers

High-class performances in easily overcoming wide draws/trips to win two 1m-9.5f Group 2s here

Trainer: Simon and Ed Crisford
Jockey: James Doyle
SP forecast: 7-2f

Silk
Algiers16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: James Doyle Tnr: Simon & Ed Crisford

2 Bendoog

Fourth behind Crown Pride in last year's UAE Derby; held by a few of these runners

Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
SP forecast: 25-1

Silk
Bendoog16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Christophe Soumillon Tnr: B Seemar

3 Cafe Pharoah

Two 1m dirt Grade 1 wins in Japan; behind two of these rivals in 1m1f Saudi Cup latest

Trainer: Noriyuki Hori
Jockey: Joao Moreira
SP forecast: 10-1

Silk
Cafe Pharoah16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Joao Moreira Tnr: Noriyuki Hori

4 Country Grammer

Runner-up in Saudi Cup before winning this race last year; second in Saudi Cup again latest

Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
SP forecast: 4-1

Silk
Country Grammer16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Frankie Dettori Tnr: Bob Baffert

5 Crown Pride

Not helped by wide trip when behind four of these rivals in Saudi Cup; needs career-best

Trainer: Koichi Shintani
Jockey: Damian Lane
SP forecast: 20-1

Silk
Crown Pride16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Damian Lane Tnr: Koichi Shintani

6 Emblem Road

Last year's shock Saudi Cup winner; only sixth in Saudi Cup this time but didn't run badly

Trainer: Ahmad Abdulwahed
Jockey: Adel Alfouraidi
SP forecast: 16-1

Silk
Emblem Road16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Adel Alfouraidi Tnr: Ahmad Abdulwahed

7 Geoglyph

Japanese runner who was having his first dirt start when fourth in 1m1f Saudi Cup

Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura
Jockey: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire
SP forecast: 10-1

Silk
Geoglyph16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire Tnr: Tetsuya Kimura

8 Jun Light Bolt

Won 1m1f Grade 1 in Japan in December, but disappointing seventh in Saudi Cup latest

Trainer: Yasuo Tomomichi
Jockey: Ryan Moore
SP forecast: 12-1

Silk
Jun Light Bolt16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: Yasuo Tomomichi

9 Panthalassa

Made all in 1m1f Group 1 Saudi Cup but was drawn one, whereas now he's in 15 of 15

Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
Jockey: Yutaka Yoshida
SP forecast: 12-1

Silk
Panthalassa16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Yutaka Yoshida Tnr: Yoshito Yahagi

10 Remorse

100-1 sixth in this race last year; struggled in Saudi Cup latest

Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
Jockey: Tadhg O'Shea
SP forecast: 66-1

Silk
Remorse16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Tadhg O'Shea Tnr: B Seemar

11 Salute The Soldier

Won course-and-distance Group 1 before fifth in this race in 2021; won that same Group 1 again latest

Trainer: Fawzi Abdulla Nass
Jockey: Adrie de Vries
SP forecast: 16-1

Silk
Salute The Soldier16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Adrie de Vries Tnr: Fawzi Abdulla Nass

12 Super Corinto

Won 1m3f Group 1 in Chile last April; most recently won minor race in the US

Trainer: Amador Merei Sanchez
Jockey: Hector Berrios
SP forecast: 25-1

Silk
Super Corinto16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Hector Berrios Tnr: Amador Merei Sanchez

13 T O Keynes

Profile is a little patchy but capable of good form, a triple Group/Grade 1 winner

Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
SP forecast: 9-1

Silk
T O Keynes16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: Daisuke Takayanagi

14 Ushba Tesoro

5-6 record since being switched to dirt in Japan; Grade 1 wins on last two starts

Trainer: Noboru Takagi
Jockey: Yuga Kawada
SP forecast: 10-1

Silk
Ushba Tesoro16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Yuga Kawada Tnr: Noboru Takagi

15 Vela Azul

Two minor wins on dirt, but big success came in 1m4f turf Grade 1 Japan Cup

Trainer: Kunihiko Watanabe
Jockey: Cristian Demuro
SP forecast: 12-1

Silk
Vela Azul16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Cristian Demuro Tnr: Kunihiko Watanabe

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The verdict

The vote goes to T O KEYNES, a Japanese runner who is capable of high-class form and gets the help of Oisin Murphy for the first time.

Silk
T O Keynes16:35 Meydan
View Racecard
Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: Daisuke Takayanagi

Read these next:

The Frankie factor: assessing Dettori's rides at a star-studded Dubai World Cup 

Britain's five best chances in the ITV-televised Group 1s on Dubai World Cup night 

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