The world's richest race will be run over 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs) at the Nad al Sheba Racecourse on March 27, 2004, and has attracted 84 nominations from the major racing nations around the globe.
Mandella trained Soul of the Matter to finish a half length behind the great Cigar in the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996, then a year later he filled the second and third places with Siphon and Sandpit. In 1998 Mandella returned to Dubai with the fourth-place finisher Malek, who went on to finish second behind Almutawakel the following year.
Pleasantly Perfect, a five-year-old son of Pleasant Colony, capped an amazing day for Mandella, who made history when training the winners of four of the Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita on October 25th.
The Dubai World Cup meeting, with prize money of $15,250,000 is the single richest day of racing in the world, and is the final race day of the inaugural Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Ali Saeed Bilhab, chairman of the Dubai Racing Club and the Dubai World Cup Committee, said, "We are very excited by the quality of the horses from around the world who have been nominated for all the races on Dubai World Cup evening. We look forward to welcoming all our international visitors to Dubai for what promises to be a spectacular evening of horse racing."
Runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Medaglia d'Oro, trained by Bobby Frankel, has also been nominated for the Dubai World Cup. Other American-based challengers include the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Funny Cide, trained by Barclay Tagg. Bob Baffert, winner of the Dubai World Cup in 1998 with Silver Charm and in 2001 with Captain Steve, has nominated his multiple Grade One winner Congaree.
European representatives are led by Michael Jarvis who has nominated his Emirates Airline Dubai Champion Stakes (G1) winner Rakti, who won the Derby Italiano (G1) when previously trained in Italy. Fellow British trainer Brian Meehan has entered Kaieteur, winner of the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (G1) and runner-up in the Arlington Million (G1). Marcel Rolland has nominated his Prix Ganay (G1) winner Fair Mix with Elie Lellouche entering his globe-trotting filly Bright Sky, the Prix de l'Opera (G1) winner who went on to run in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1).
Elvstroem, Fields of Omagh and Makybe Diva, three of Australia's leading equine athletes are on the list for the Dubai World Cup. Elvstroem, trained by Tony Vasil, landed the Victoria Derby (G1) at Flemington by one and a half lengths. Trained by Tony McEvoy, Fields of Omagh won the W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 25th and is now headed for the Japan Cup (G1). Also headed to the Japan Cup is Makybe Diva, from the David Hall stables, who won this year's Melbourne Cup (G1), Australia's most famous race.
In total 538 horses have been nominated for the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 27 from 19 separate countries. The second nomination stage closes on Jan. 14, 2004.
