13 ADIYAT RACING PLUS ISSUE 838 Thursday 21 st March 2024 DUBAI WORLD CUP adiyat racing plus.com ‘CHROME TURNS TO GOLD’, WAS FORMER ERA RACE CALLER TERRY SPARGO’S CALL AFTER CALIFORNIA CHROME FLEW PAST THE FINISH TO WIN THE 2016 DUBAI WORLD CUP. just that when he finally won the Dubai Duty Free, at the third time of asking, in 2011. SIBELIUS 2023 Dubai Golden Shaheen Every year there’s a set of connections who really embrace World Cup week and last year it was Jerry and Alison O’Dwyer and Chelsie Raabe, the trainers and exercise rider of Sibelius. Their flashy chestnut loved the occasion too, doing plenty of posing on track in the mornings. In the race, he was less easy to see, sneaking along the rail under Ryan Moore and denying 2022 winner Switzerland by a nose. ARROGATE 2017 Dubai World Cup Most people, trainer Bob Baffert included, thought Arrogate had blown his chance when he missed the break by several lengths. What happened next was extraordinary, the roan circling the whole field and beating non other than multiple G1 winner Gun Runner by two and a quarter lengths. Arrogate? More like arrogant. VICTOIRE PISA 2011 Dubai World Cup Coming in the wake of the devasting Japanese earthquake, this was a poignant victory. It was secured by a moment of brilliance from jockey Mirco Demuro, who made a decisive forward move in the backstraight which effectively won him the race. HH Sheikh Mohammed hugging Japanese connections in the winner’s enclosure afterwards was an amazingly humbling moment. EQUINOX 2023 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic OK, so it was only last year, but who present on the day will forget Equinox? He was barely extended in beating five other Group 1 winners, and it was no surprise when he completed the season undefeated, eventually being crowned the World’s Best Racehorse. SOLOW 2015 Dubai Turf I remember seriously doubting the chances of Solow, who had won four in a row before arriving at Meydan, but all at a lower level. I’ll never again doubt Freddy Head, who had the grey gelding spot on for a four and a quarterlength demolition job. Solow’s winning spree continued after Dubai when he won another four Group 1s – a superstar.
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