Mucho Macho Man could spearhead the American challenge to the Dubai World Cup after the nominations to the world’s most valuable horse race were released on Tuesday.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic winner has been entered to follow up Animal Kingdom’s success last year, which was the first victory in the $US10 million (Dh36.7m) event for a horse trained in the USA since Meydan Racecourse opened in 2010.
Mucho Macho Man is among an entry of 30 American horses from a total of 341 nominations to the March 29 contest.
Saeed Bin Suroor is the most successful trainer in the history of the Dubai World Cup with five wins and the Godolphin handler has entered 13 including Hunter’s Light and Kassiano, who finished down the field last season, and African Story, won the 2012 Godolphin Mile.
Marmoom Stables trainer Charlie Appleby has 16 entered in the 2,000-metre Group 1, with recent impressive Cape Verdi winner Certify, 2012 Royal Ascot victor Energizer and English Derby runner-up Libertarian all with chances of lining up on World Cup night.
Japan provided an emotional victory with Victoire Pisa in 2011 just weeks after the tragic tsunami and have entered 16 horses, with the already confirmed Belshazzar, the Japan Cup Dirt winner, and Hokko Tarumae, who warmed up with a fluid win in the Kawasaki Kinen last month, primed to travel.
The Japanese will also be represented by Gentildonna, the two-times Japan Cup winner, who will try to go one better than last season when she was beaten in the Dubai Sheema Classic by St Nicholas Abbey, who lost his drawn out battle with serious illness last month.
His trainer, Aidan O’Brien, could have as many as 13 runners across the eight thoroughbred races, including Ruler Of The World, the English Derby winner, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Magician.
Reynaldothewizard and Shea Shea, respective winners last season of the Dubai Golden Shaheen and Al Quoz Sprint, have also been entered to defend their titles. The American sprinter Caller One successfully defended his crown in the 2002 Shaheen, while JJ The Jet Plane is the only dual winner of the Al Quoz Sprint having won the 1,000m sprint in 2009 and 2011.
