THE draws for the US$10 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airlines, with comments from the connections of the runners are as follows:
Gate 1: Fly Down: Assistant Trainer Tim Poole said “Would have loved to have drawn the four, five or six, but number one is better than 14. As long as we can get position, we’ll be ok. [Jockey] Julian [Leparoux] will get him out of there. I’d love to see the number two horse break on top and for Julian to maintain position behind him”
Gate 2: Monterosso: Trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni said “I am very happy with the draw. He is a really fast horse. He has stamina and speed so I think he can run a good race”.
Gate 3: Prince Bishop: Racing Manager Simon Crisford commented “I think the draw makes no difference for him. He’s a progressive horse and he’s improved from his first effort. We hope Ahmed will be the miracle man on Saturday.
Gate 4: Cape Blanco: Jockey Jamie Spencer said: “I was hoping for [stalls] between two and nine so I am happy to be where I am and I certainly didn’t want to be in stall one. All options are open from stall four”.
Gate 5: Gio Ponti: Christophe Lauriel said “It’s great to be back here, actually it’s an honour. Gate five is good. We hope for a good trip and hopes he makes it this year”.
Gate 6: Victoire Pisa: Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii said “I did not want to take the outside draw, and there was number two and six left. Number six is more suitable for the horse”.
Kevin Shea is not concerned about the widest of draws for Golden Sword. (Andrew Watkins).
Gate 7: Musir: Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Racing Manager Yousef Al Sayegh said “We are happy to be in the middle”.
Gate 8: Gitano Hernando: Trainer Marco Botti said: “Last year he was drawn 2 and boxed in and probably didn’t have the best run. So I’m happy with this draw”.
Gate 9: Transcend: Mr Yasuda, the trainer said “I wanted to take from one to eight so number nine is fine for me”.
Gate 10: Poet’s Voice: Trainer Saeed bib Suroor said: “The horse has plenty of speed so draw number 10 is no problem for him. He can take any position in the race”.
Gate 11: Richard’s Kid: Trainer Satish Seemar said he was “happy with the draw”.
Gate 12: Twice Over: Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe, remarked “I think realistically we would have preferred to have been a little bit nearer the track. He’s in very good form, physically he’s done well and mentally he’s always been on top of his game”.
Gate 13: Buena Vista: Trainer Hiroyoshi Matsuda said: The draw doesn’t matter. It’s like fate. I have a lot of confidence in her and I think she’s the best horse in the field”.
Gate 14: Golden Sword: Jockey Kevin Shea said “Gate 14 makes no difference, he’s got no early pace so he’ll settle in Behind anyway”.