"The best I've ever ridden" was Frankie Dettori's verdict on the great Dubai Millennium.
His first winner in the 2000 Dubai World Cup broke new ground for Godolphin in track record time. Dubai Millennium quickened six lengths clear of the pack, from the front position he obtained after a furlong.
Dettori added two more triumphs in the £10 million race for the same owners, riding Moon Ballad (2003) and Electrocutionist (2006). The trio were all trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, who nine renewals on his record – and is represented by Real World on Saturday.
Dettori teams up with the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer this time, five years after the stable prepared Arrogate for victory. The five-year-old was last seen finishing second to Emblem Road in the $20m Saudi Cup.
Country Grammar, the 2021 Hollywood Gold Cup hero, steps back up to ten furlongs in the weekend event. It will be the longest distance favourite Life Is Good has tried, with Irad Ortiz Jnr in the saddle. Owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm, Todd Pletcher's colt has only met defeat once in six starts.
"He's such a special horse," Elliott Walden, racing manager of WinStar Farm, told Bloodhorse.com. "He has shown it every time he's gone on the racetrack and we hope he'll do it again Saturday."
Dettori's Group 1 rides and best odds at the Dubai World Cup
Naval Crown 12-1 – (1.35) Meydan Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (Turf)
A new recruit for Dettori, yet to ride the three-time winner in any of his 13 races to date. Fourth in last season's 2000 Guineas, after racing freely in the lead, he then took second in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot behind stablemate Creative Force.
Twice triumphant at Meydan, most recently in a Group 2 level under William Buick, he steps up to the highest level. Dropped to the shortest trip he has tried, six furlongs, the Dubawi colt renews rivalry with Creative Force. Man Of Promise, chasing a course and distance hat-trick, is the ante-post favourite and also carries the Godolphin blue silks.
Lord North 5-1 – (3.20) Meydan Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World (Turf)
John Gosden's runner is after back-to-back successes from the same stall as 12 months ago. Dettori's mount took a keen hold and quickened to the lead on the outside, with less than a furlong to go.
However he has been restricted to just one start since, when a beaten favourite in the Winter Derby at Lingfield. The six-year-old forms part of a strong British challenge, with Mohaafeth, Lord Glitters and Saffron Beach, partnered by Hollie Doyle, waiting in the wings.
Pyledriver 16-1 – (3.55) Meydan Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (Turf)
With usual rider Martin Dwyer on the sidelines, Dettori has been booked for William Muir's stable star. Dwyer, who injured his knee while riding out, put his weighing room colleague forward for the assignment. Pyledriver arrives at Meydan on the back of trips to Sha Tin and Riyadh.
Muir said: “Martin rang Frankie and talked to him for us, I think he was on the treadmill at the time! Everything is sorted. Frankie is the boy on the big stage and you can’t get any bigger than this.”
Country Grammer 11-1 – (4.30) – Meydan Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (Dirt)
A 270-day break was no hindrance to the three-time scorer in last month's Saudi Cup. Racing close to the pace, he stayed on strongly and looked to have done enough to hold on until rank outsider Emblem Road appeared on the scene. If successful, Dettori and trainer Bob Baffert would both move onto four wins in the race's roll of honour.
“Country Grammer is a horse who will run all day and will definitely appreciate the two turns and the 1 1/4-mile distance of this race,” said Baffert's assistant Jimmy Barnes. “He has always been a straightforward horse to train and nothing has changed with him here.”
