Dubai Win Would Make Forever Young Earnings Leader

Yoshito Yahagi admits that the six-week gap between the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup has been a challenge in keeping Forever Young fit for his spring grand final, which could see him become the world's highest-earning racehorse of all time. Victory in the Dubai World Cup will see Forever Young surge past current leader Romantic Warrior, taking his earnings to $36.6 million. However, even if he finishes in the top three, he will become just the second horse ever to surpass $30 million in earnings. Like all horses on Friday morning, Forever Young remained in the quarantine stables just 36 hours out from his date with destiny in the 30th Dubai World Cup. "He's had light gallops this week and I think he's in very healthy condition," Yahagi said. "The Saudi Cup this year wasn't as difficult and strenuous as it was last year and he came out of it better. "I don't think the gap between races is a positive thing at all, though. A shorter time between races is easier for him. My only hope is that it doesn't rain too heavily because I don't want the dirt track to be too fast." Yahagi, though, admits that he worships Forever Young "like a god" and is full of praise for the hardy globetrotter. "He's a superstar, a God-like figure," Yahagi said. "I feel so lucky to have a horse like him. I don't know what the rest of his year will look like but I hope that he can run well on Saturday." $6,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and the Aga Khan's French racing manager Nemone Routh flew into Dubai on Friday, hoping to see their superstar Calandagan go one better in this year's Dubai Sheema Classic. Last year, Calandagan began his season by finishing second to Danon Decile at Meydan. He progressed to win the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and G1 Champion Stakes before becoming the first European horse in 20 years to win the G1 Japan Cup. For his efforts, the Gleneagles gelding was named the world's best racehorse for 2025. "There has been a lot of rain and I don't think that will bother Calandagan, though I don't expect it will become really deep ground like we have in Europe," he said. "He is in good form and had already come into his coat before the flight. My team is very happy with both him and (Al Quoz Sprint runner) Rayevka." $5,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Turf British general practitioner and racehorse trainer Dr Richard Newland is better known for his jumps success, especially his Grand National success with Pineau de Re in 2014. However, in partnership with Jamie Insole, the stable is now expanding their footprint globally. This is their second year travelling horses to the Middle East and Dividend has become an international flagbearer for the yard this carnival. Dividend won two handicaps over 1800m and 1900m at Meydan before he stepped up in class to tackle the G2 Singspiel Stakes over this course and distance, finishing second to Quddwah. "He's been an outstanding horse for us this year," Insole said. "To have two wins out here with our first try and to get him to World Cup night, it's a massive result for the team. He loves it out here, he's relished the weather out here and he obviously loves the facilities as well. "He's had four weeks since the Singspiel so I feel like he's going to come into this with fresher legs and a fresher mind as well. I know it's going to be a massive step up against horses like Ombudsman and I don't think four-year-olds have a great record in this race, Almond Eye in 2019 was the last. But hopefully we're paving the way for his future." Among the locals heading to the race is Andreas Vesalius, who has not won since November, 2024 at Abu Dhabi but who has been racing well at shorter trips. He steps up beyond a mile for the first time for Ahmad bin Harmash with regular rider Connor Beasley maintaining his association with the seven-year-old. "He's got a great constitution, this horse, and he's always in the money without winning," Beasley said. "You have to ride him patiently and if they do go a good pace he's in with a good chance of placing. He's very consistent." $2,000,000 Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Five of the first six horses across the line in last year's Dubai Golden Shaheen return for another bid in 2026, but the one horse among them that has flown under the radar is last year's winner Dark Saffron. The Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Dark Saffron became the first three-year-old to ever win the Shaheen last year when, under Connor Beasley, he defeated Nakatomi by a long neck with 2024 victor Tuz a further three-quarters of a length away in third. The Flameaway gelding returned a winner in a three-year-old race in November but only beat one horse home across his next three starts over the Meydan 1200m. That prompted a switch to turf in January, where he finished sixth to Danish sprinter Great Wish in the Listed Dubai Sprint down the straight, before he returned to form on dirt when second to El Nasseeb in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal. "He seems in great form, it was a step in the right direction his last run so hopefully he comes good at this time of the year," Beasley said. "They're going to go quick. He was electric last year and he's in the same gate. We'll play it by ear and see how they jump and go from there." American Stage, sixth last year, has become a regular travel companion for Forever Young. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi acknowledges the role he has played in Forever Young's remarkable career while believing that he may be about to emerge as a star in his own right. "American Stage looks small because his legs are short, but he's not actually as small as he looks," Yahagi said. "He's improved from Saudi Arabia, this field is strong but I think he is coming into his own. He has a very good relationship with Forever Young and I'm very grateful to the owner of American Stage, Mr Yoshizawa, for understanding the situation." Film producer and trainer Librado Barocio is hoping for a Hollywood ending with Lovesick Blues, who will attempt to add the Dubai Golden Shaheen to his win in the G1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar last year. "I am extremely excited," Barocio said. "It's still hard for me to sleep after three weeks being here. Just the memories of the experience, it's been overwhelming. "You couldn't buy this feeling, you have to be very lucky to have a feeling like this. We're going to do our best, Lovesick and I, to represent the US the best way possible." Lovesick Blues finished fifth in Riyadh last start but has enjoyed his surroundings at Meydan, giving Barocio hope that he may be able to produce a career best on Saturday. "I popped him out of the gate and he really grabbed the bit, so I think he's going to be closer," he said. "I took the blinkers off (at trackwork) and asked my rider for his input and he said that he wasn't as aggressive. He was looking around a lot without them, so we put them back on and the next time, the rider said he was back into the bit again, dragged him around there. "He's focused now and he's ready to go. I did some acupuncture on him today and he loved it, so we're ready for a big effort." $1,500,000 Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Five years after his first attempt at the Al Quoz Sprint, Khaadem is back for a second time. No horse older than nine, either Arabian or Thoroughbred, has won a race at the Dubai World Cup meeting; Khaadem is one of two 10-year-olds racing tomorrow night, along with Dubai Gold Cup defending champion Dubai Future. Khaadem is a two-time winner of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and has been a stable stalwart for trainer Charlie Hills. "He's been terrific, he's very close to our hearts really," Hills said. "We always hoped he would be able to compete in these top races, he was a beautiful looking horse and he was very well bred but his longevity is something else. In his early days, he was always quite tricky and he certainly has his quirks. Sometimes he can run some bad races but he can turn it around and run some terrific races too. "I remember when Nature Strip won at Royal Ascot, he finished upside him but without a jockey obviously. And then we took him to Hong Kong last start, the jockey's stirrup leather broke, so that was a bit of a disaster. But he's enjoyed travelling, he's enjoyed America and it made sense to swing by here before we give him a break and train up to Royal Ascot again." While trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs team are happy for rain for Dubai Sheema Classic runner Calandagan, they are not as confident about Al Quoz Sprint contender Rayevka on a potential wet track. Rayevka is a winner on soft ground at Chantilly and was second in very soft conditions in the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert behind another Al Quoz Sprint runner, Monteille, but her best ratings have come on top of the ground. "Rayevka is really a good ground filly but she is there and we won't back out now," Graffard said, while Aga Khan Studs stable representative Jeremy Lobel added: "Rayevka is very well and you know that she's ready to run. She has been very dynamic this week and all the signs are good. She is on really good terms with herself and you can see the change in her as the race approaches." Native Approach turned his form around at his first ever start below 1400m when taking out the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over the course and distance on Super Saturday last month. Ahmad bin Harmash's sprinter-miler was given a tremendous ride by Connor Beasley, leading home a small far side group while most of the field came down the centre. "Off his last win he gave me a good feel," Beasley said. "It was always the plan to drop him back in trip as he's a free-going sort. Going there I'd be hopeful of a good run. Stall 12 should be OK as I imagine the ground will be the same all the way across." $1,000,000 Group 2 UAE Derby Local contenders Union Security and Duke Of Immatin will attempt to upstage their more fancied rivals when they tackle the UAE Derby. Ahmad bin Harmash-prepared Union Security finished third in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas in January behind a pair of UAE Derby runners, Six Speed and Devon Island, but he could not run to form when 10th in the G3 Saudi Derby last start. Connor Beasley retains the ride, having ridden him in three of his five starts to date. "He's shown us great things at home and then won well first time out but things haven't gone his way since," Beasley said. "For one reason or another things haven't clicked. He's going there well and fresh and the run in Saudi will stand him in good stead." Duke Of Immatin, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, finished down the track in the UAE 2000 Guineas but relished the step up to 1900m when second to Brotherly Love in the Listed Dubai Road To The Kentucky Derby. "He worked well at his main final gallop last Saturday," Al Mheiri said. "He's drawn gate 10, we don't know if it will help him or not but it's obviously far out. We have to give it a go with him." $1,000,000 Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup The prospect of a rain-sodden track has not concerned the connections of French stayer Sunway as he seeks his first win at two miles in the Dubai Gold Cup. Sunway won the G1 Criterium International at two on "tres souple" - very soft - ground at Saint-Cloud in 2023 and the David Menuisier-trained five-year-old has performed well across a range of conditions. He enters the 3200m feature having won the G3 Al Khail Trophy and finished second in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, both over 2800m, to begin 2026. They were his first two starts since he was gelded late last year. "Sunway is very well and I think he comes into the race at the very top of his form," said stable representative Kevin Bouillie. "I don't think we could have him any better. He's up against very good horses but he's really well in himself. "He's won a Group 1 on heavy ground so however the course rides, it won't bother him. He's been very good around this track at this distance and if they go a nice even pace, I think he has a good chance of being in the first four." $1,000,000 Group 2 Godolphin Mile On the back of a pair of fractionally disappointing efforts over nine furlongs (approximately 1800m), Banishing carries the hopes of the United States into Saturday's Godolphin Mile, and trainer and part-owner David Jacobson believes there is better to come this weekend. "Everything is a go, he's training perfectly and we're looking for a top performance," said the conditioner, who campaigns the six-year-old gelding in partnership with Larry Roman and Saudi businessman Sharaf Mohammed Al Harari. "His form has been a little off, but we're looking forward to a bounce-back effort." Though clearly capable over a slightly longer trip - he won the G2 Charles Town Classic over the 1800m - Banishing's best form has come over shorter distances. That includes a victory in the G3 Oaklawn Mile at 1600m and a cracking runner-up effort in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes at 1400m, where he dead-heated for second with Nysos, just behind Forever Young in last month's Saudi Cup. "That was certainly one of his best races," Jacobson said, referring to the Churchill Downs Stakes. "If he can run close to that level, he has a good chance." The gelded son of Ghostzapper, who supplied 2021 Dubai World Cup hero Mystic Guide, was a latest eighth in the Riyadh feature, and Jacobson is relishing the opportunity to take on some of the best horses from other top jurisdictions. "It's very exciting and we are very honoured to be able to compete with horses from all over the world," he said, adding, "but it's a million-dollar race and they're not just going to give it away!" Banishing has drawn stall four of 12 and will be ridden by UAE champion-elect Silvestre De Sousa on Saturday. Connor Beasley will partner The Camden Colt, one of six runners for trainer Bhupat Seemar. The Camden Colt was a course and distance winner in March last year and has two seconds from three starts this campaign, including last time out when four lengths behind stablemate Commissioner King in the G3 Burj Nahar. "I just picked up the spare ride a couple of days ago," Beasley said. "He was second to Commissioner King and wasn't stopping. Hopefully they'll go a good strong gallop and we can keep it nice and smooth and be there with a good shout."