Destination Dubai for battalion from Tipperary horse racing stables

Aidan O’Brien has sent a seven-strong team from his Ballydoyle stables in Tipperary to Meydan ahead of this Saturday’s Dubai World Cup night, with Auguste Rodin, who is a 5/2 shot in the Dubai Sheema Classic, his best chance, according to bookies BoyleSports.

O’Brien will be hoping to get his evening off to the perfect start in the Middle East as he bids to record back-to-back wins in the Dubai Gold Cup as he fields Tower Of London, who was last seen winning in Saudi Arabia in February. 

The four-year-old, who finished fourth in last season’s St Leger, is 7/2 to continue winning ways in the Middle East but will face a formidable British challenge that includes John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman (4/1), who took the scalp of star stayer Kyprios last time out, Eldar Eldarov (5/1) and Andrew Balding’s Coltrane (7/1).

The Japan-trained Do Deuce heads the betting for the Dubai Turf at 11/4, with team Gosden’s three-time winner of the race Lord North a 7/1 shot to bring up the four-timer. Clarehaven also fields three-time Group 1 winning filly Nashwa (10/1), while Aidan O’Brien is doubly represented by Cairo (25/1) and globetrotting Luxembourg (9/1).

The Sheema Classic, won last year by Japanese superstar Equinox, once again has a favourite hailing from East Asia, with Liberty Island topping the market at 2/1. Dual Derby and Breeders Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin heads a formidable European challenge for the huge prize that also includes Spirit Dancer (16/1) for Richard Fahey, who was last seen scoring in Bahrain and runs in the silks of Sir Alex Ferguson. 

The feature of the Meydan calendar, the Dubai World Cup, concludes one of the richest days in racing but has failed to attract any European horses. Japan continues to hold a strong hand and once again fields a favourite, with Noboru Takagi’s Ushba Tesoro, who finished runner-up in the Saudi Cup the 5/2 favourite, while Frankie Dettori’s mount Newgate is a well fancied 8/1 shot.