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Ruler Given Wide Draw but Still World Cup Favourite

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Ruler Of The World has maintained his 7-2 top spot at Titan Bet (Free £35) after drawing stall twelve in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, it may be wide but it’s also the small berth last year’s winner Animal Kingdom ran from.

Last year’s runner-up Red Cadeaux has also drawn a wide berth in stall fourteen. Trainer Ed Dunlop admitted at the draw ceremony at Meydan that he “probably should have chosen a better one”. He has since dropped to 25-1 from 20-1.

Housed between the pair in thirteen is Mukhadram, promoting trainer William Haggas to say: “I would have preferred a lower one, but there you go.” Widest of all is Ron The Greek in stall sixteen who dropped to 20-1 from 14-1.

Second favourite Military Attack (7-1) will run from stall eight, which is coincidentally the lucky number in his base Hong Kong. The majority of winners at Meyden in its four-year history have come from stall four, bagged by Akeed Mofeed, another Hong Kong-based runner. He has since risen from 10-1 to 8-1 because of this.

Although a wide berth is being perceived as a disadvantage for Ruler Of The World, the draw has been fairly inconclusive in terms of success in the four years the Dubai World Cup has been run at Meydan. Runners and placed horses are generally spread across the track.

Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing has acquired a 50 percent stake in Ruler Of The World just three days prior to his World Cup run. He will now run the race in Al Shaqab’s colours and all future racing will be done under Al Shaqab Racing, Mrs Magnier, Tabor and Smith.

The Sheikh’s racing advisor Harry Herbert confirmed the deal to the Racing Post.

“He passed the vets with flying colours this morning and will continue to be ridden by Joseph O’Brien in all of his races. Should Joseph not be able, then Frankie Dettori, as retained jockey to Al Shaqab, will step in.

“Al Shaqab are very pleased to be involved with Coolmore – it’s good for the industry.”

Al Shaqab’s other runners on Saturday include Dubday, Mshawish, and Al Mamun Monlau.

Heavy rain hit Meydan on Wednesday morning though it is not expected to affect or alter course conditions.

Track superintendent Javier Barajas said that the ground on the turf course, which is normally artificially irrigated, is officially good, while the World Cup track itself is expected to be little changed.

“The rain is supposed to start up again at around midnight and run up until tomorrow morning and that should be it,” Barajas said.

“The Tapeta might have tightened up a bit but I think with sunshine from tomorrow afternoon until Saturday it will not have tightened up that much.

“The turf course wasn’t bad at all. I knew yesterday that it was going a little bit firm but I wasn’t really concerned because I thought these rains were going to come.”

If you’re interested in placing a bet on the richest race on the planet head over to Titan Bet (Free £35) today. This leading online bookmaker has betting slips available on eight of the night’s races.

The post Ruler Given Wide Draw but Still World Cup Favourite appeared first on Horse Racing UK.


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