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Japanese sensation Forever Young and Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior, the embattled 1-2 finishers from the US$20 million Gr.1 Saudi Cup, are heading back to their preferred surfaces to headline two top features on the April Gr.1 Dubai World Cup programme at Meydan Racecourse.
The Dubai Racing Club's announcement includes 35 individual Group One or Grade One winners from 13 racing jurisdictions, featuring two reigning Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award winners.
"The strength and depth of horses aiming for the Dubai World Cup meeting this year is superb," said Ali Al Ali, CEO and board member of the DRC. "We are delighted to have horses from 13 racing jurisdictions represented, including several returning champions."
Forever Young, who rallied to defeat Romantic Warrior by a neck in the Saudi Cup, is the star of the US$12 million World Cup field, which features strong Japanese and American representation plus two ambitious local contenders.
The globetrotting 3YO, winner of the 2024 Gr.3 Saudi Derby and Gr.2 UAE Derby, was third in the 2024 Gr.1 Kentucky Derby and third again in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He will face fellow Japanese star Ushba Tesoro, who won the 2023 World Cup and finished second in 2024, having also contested the Breeders' Cup Classic in those seasons.
Japan also sends Wilson Tesoro and Ramjet, fourth and sixth-place finishers in the February Saudi Cup.
The United States contingent comprises Hit Show, trained by Brad Cox; Il Miracolo, saddled by Antonio Sano; and two from Doug O'Neill, Mixto and Katonah. Mixto's victory in the 2024 Gr. 1 Pacific Classic Stakes is the sole Grade One win among the Americans.
Bhupat Seemar sends out two locals, Walk of Stars and Imperial Emperor, the 1-2 finishers in the local Gr.1 Al Maktoum Challenge. Walk of Stars then finished 12th in Saudi Arabia while Imperial Emperor stayed home to win the Gr. 2 Al Maktoum Classic by 8½ lengths a week later.
While Forever Young continues his crusade through the world's top dirt races, Romantic Warrior returns to turf to contest the US$5 million Gr.1 Dubai Turf at 1,800 metres, making good on the promise that the Saudi Cup would be his sole appearance on dirt.
In the Turf, Romantic Warrior faces Godolphin's globetrotter Nations Pride, France's Facteur Cheval, and a four-strong Japanese squad featuring star filly Liberty Island and international miler Soul Rush, plus four from England.
Liberty Island, second to Equinox in the 2023 Gr.1 Japan Cup , most recently finished second to Romantic Warrior in the Gr. 1 Hong Kong Cup in December. Facteur Cheval won the 2024 edition of the Dubai Turf.
Godolphin's Rebel's Romance, the reigning and two-time Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Turf winner and 2024 Eclipse Award champion turf male, headlines the US$6 million Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic at 2,410 metres. Since unseating rider Richard Mullen in the Gr. 2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga in 2023, the now 7YO Dubawi gelding has won seven of nine starts across Qatar, Hong Kong, England and Germany, including last year's Sheema Classic.
A tough opponent is Shin Emperor, who exits a victory in the Gr. 2 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard. Shin Emperor runs for the powerful connections of owner Susumu Fujita and trainer Yoshito Yahagi with Ryusei Sakai named to ride—the same team behind Forever Young.
The US$1.5 million Gr. 1 Al Quoz Sprint at 1,200 metres features Isivunguvungu, a graded stakes winner in South Africa who has since transferred to trainer Graham Motion in the United States. He faces British Group One winners Regional and Audience.
T
he US$2 million Gr. 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen pits defending champion Tuz against reigning Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser. Straight No Chaser comes off a win in the Gr. 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard.
The US$1 million Gr.2 UAE Derby now effectively guarantees the winner a spot in the Kentucky Derby, with the only American-based 3YO being Gr. 3 Gotham Stakes winner Flood Zone from the Brad Cox barn. The US$1 million Gr. 2 Godolphin Mile features Raging Torrent, another of O'Neill's runners, fresh from victory in the Gr. 1 Malibu Stakes .
Meanwhile, big-name international raiders could target the QE II Cup in Hong Kong next month in Romantic Warrior's absence, with 28 individual Group One winners among the Champions Day entries. With Romantic Warrior likely heading for a spell after the Dubai Turf, and Voyage Bubble expected to target the Champions Mile, the lion's share of the HK$28 million (approximately US$3.6 million) QE II Cup purse appears destined to head abroad.
Liberty Island and Tastiera, who filled the placings behind Romantic Warrior in December's Hong Kong Cup, are among 13 Japanese entries, while gallopers from France, Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia were also nominated. Japan's Lugal, the Ciaron Maher-trained Jimmysstar and Lady Laguna are among those potentially targeting the Chairman's Sprint Prize against local hero Ka Ying Rising.
"We are delighted with the spread of entries and quality of interest in this year's Champions Day features," said Jockey Club executive director of racing Andrew Harding.