Dubai World Cup takes shape!

here is a pdf of the world cup fields

images.racingpost.com/pdfs/DWC_possible_fields.pdf

Paco Boy "flying" as Dubai date draws nearer


PACO BOY is said to be "flying" in his preparation for the Dubai Duty Free over 1m 1f at Nad Al Sheba on March 28.

The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old has never won over further than seven furlongs but connections are fairly confident his stamina can come to the fore this year.

"He's flying. He flies out to Dubai onSaturday and he's in great form, really good form," said Richard Hannon jnr, the trainer's son and assistant.

"He's working super. He'll go there and, depending on how he comes back, we'll obviously have a look at the Lockinge, Queen Anne and the Sussex Stakes.

"It could be a wide-open division this year, the milers.

"I think he should stay - he's a year older now.

"He's a little bit more mature and he certainly wasn't stopping when he won the Foret

PRESVIS is my pick for the Dubai Duty Free, can make the step up for handicaps to Graded company. This animal has been awesome in his last 2 starts in Dubai. He's 8/1.

£10,000 bet for Duty Free favourite Paco Boy


CORAL on Friday cut Paco Boy to 4-1favourite (from 13-2) for the Dubai Duty Free after reporting a £10,000 bet on the Richard Hannon-trained colt from a betting-shop customer in Wimbledon.



Shortly afterwards, the firm claimed they had laid another bet of £2,000 to a telephone customer at 4-1. "This was a very unusual bet to lay on an international race like the Dubai Duty Free particularly given the high-quality field assembled against Paco Boy", said Coral spokesman Simon Clare.



"We do not know the identity of the ten grand punter but can only assume that he is closely connected to the horse in some way and is confident of a big run in Dubai next week."

Paco Boy, impressive winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret over 7f last time out, has never raced beyond 1m but Richard Hannon junior is confident he will stay.

"He's a year older now," he said. "He's alittle bit more mature and he certainly wasn't stopping when he won the Foret.

southpaw Wrote:

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> PRESVIS is my pick for the Dubai Duty Free, can
> make the step up for handicaps to Graded company.
> This animal has been awesome in his last 2 starts
> in Dubai. He's 8/1.

ryan moore booked for previs,really fancy this,just glad they never gave the mount to frank spencer

jerry Barton has already trained a Dubai World Cup runner-up and has tipped 2009 contender Joe Louis to spring a surprise at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday.

Sei Mi finished second behind Street Cry seven years ago to hand Saudi Arabia-based trainer Barton his best finish to date on Dubai's biggest night.

And although Joe Louis is currently a 66-1 outsider, Barton has made it clear punters should look beyond current favourites Albertus Maximus and Asiatic Boy ahead of Saturday's Group One.

Barton said: "There is no standout like Curlin or Dubai Millennium, but it is still a strong race. Our horse is a long shot but you can't win it if you are not in it. I like our horse, he is doing well."

He added: "I think that this horse stands a chance at being a long shot. I am looking forward to running him. I have been over here quite a few years with horses and I think he gives us the best chance to maybe get there on the night.

"We ran him in his last three races over a mile and a half in Saudi Arabia and he is not a mile and a half horse, a mile and a quarter suits him.

"He has done things well and I know the horse. He is fresh and ready to run. It is going to be tough but I am bringing a horse who is doing well. It's an hour flight for us so we also haven't had to come a long way over a big ocean."

Luca Cumani is under no illusions about the task facing Purple Moon when he lines up in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba this weekend.

Cumani arrived in Dubai on Sunday morning to see his daughter Francesca put the six-year-old through a light piece of work alongside stablemate and Dubai Duty Free candidate Presvis.

While he was pleased with what he saw from the Hong Kong Vase runner-up, Cumani is well aware Purple Moon will need to improve on his recent fourth in the Group Two Dubai City of Gold with all three that finished ahead of him that day set to reoppose this weekend.

"The horse is well, he has come on from his prep race on Super Thursday and we hope he runs a better race than he did then," Cumani told PA Sport.

"I'm sure he will. But it's a tough race so we will just have to see how it goes.

"I am very happy with both horses, but whether they are good enough on the day remains to be seen. We will need luck in running."