Capponi carries UAE hopes

Capponi hopes to become the first horse bred, owned, trained and ridden by UAE citizens to win the Dubai World Cup Group-1 as the 17th running of the world’s richest horse race gets underway at Meydan. Capponi hopes to become the first horse bred, owned, trained and ridden by UAE citizens to win the Dubai World Cup Group-1 as the 17th running of the world’s richest horse race gets underway at Meydan on Saturday night. The brilliant five-year-old son of Medicean was bred by Darley, the Irish arm of the global horse breeding operation of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. A lightly raced chestnut in the distinguished green colours of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,  Capponi is looked after by Mahmoud Al Zarooni, and will be partnered by Ahmed Ajtebi in the Royal Blue silks of Godolphin to carry the country’s hopes in the $10 million event. Capponi, a previous winner at Meydan, progressed to the elite level when running out the easy winner of the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on March 10. A lightly raced five-year-old, he rewarded his connections in the best possible way in the hands of Ajetbi, Capponi became the most improved horse in the UAE throughout the Dubai World Cup Carnival. He has been first past the post on his last three starts and appears to remain very much on an upward curve. Al Zarooni has not saddled the winner of this race yet but has only saddled two runners previously, both of whom have finished third, including Monterosso last year. On his first run since, Monterosso was fourth behind Capponi on Super Saturday when surely in need of the outing and he should run well again under Mickael Barzalona who has ridden him in all four of his UAE outings. American challengers have won the race on eight previous occasions (Cigar 1996, Silver Charm 1998, Captain Steve 2001, Pleasantly Perfect 2004, Roses in May 2005, Invasor 2007, Curlin 2008, Well Armed 2009) whereas the Japanese opened their account last year when Transcend chased home compatriot Victoire Pisa and they have three runners this year. Transcend bids to go one better this year but arrives having been well beaten in his prep race, the Group 1 February Stakes, which he won last year. Trainer Bob Baffert will be attempting to win his third Dubai World Cup with Game On Dude, having taken it for US in 1998 with Silver Charm and in 2001 with Captain Steve. If the elegant gelding wins the world’s richest horse race, history would be made. Jockey Chantal Sutherland would become the first female to ride a Dubai World Cup winner. Chechnya will be represented by Zazou who will be running in the colours of his new owner Ramzan Kadyrov. Formerly trained in Germany and will be ridden by Olivier Peslier, Zazou won a Dubai World Cup trial at Chantilly to prove his liking for synthetic surfaces and looked in great shape, under the Frenchman, on the track on Thursday. Bill Mott won the inaugural running with Cigar back in 1996 and looks to make history again when saddling Royal Delta, last year’s Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner and seeking to become the first filly or mare to win this race. The international favourite is So You Think, now trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien.