Connections of Arrogate, the highest-rated Flat performer in the world, have confirmed his next target is the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 25.
The Bob Baffert-trained four-year-old won the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November and kicked off 2017 with a comfortable four-and-three-quarter-length victory in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park last month.
Following Arrogate’s victory in the US$12million contest, Baffert expressed some doubts about Arrogate travelling to Dubai but after pleasing in a mile workout at Santa Anita on Monday, connections confirmed Meydan is now the target.
Baffert said: “I just got the call and we’ve got the green light to send him to Dubai as long as he’s doing well. [The decision] came down from [owner] Prince Khalid [Abdullah].
“He looked great. I’m really happy the way he’s come out of that race [the Pegasus].
“He hasn’t regressed or anything, he looked fantastic. He’s enjoying himself, and he did it the right way. I’m really happy with the way he’s going. He’s just holding his form very well,” Baffert told www.bloodhorse.com
Meanwhile, Racingpost.com report that the Dubai World Cup meeting has lost one of its potential stars following a surprising change of heart by connections of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther.
Last weekend the five-year-old won the very valuable Group 1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin and it seemed a trip to Meydan for next month’s Dubai Turf was the next target.
However, it emerged on Tuesday that Werther, who was around 8-1 for the race with British bookmakers, would not be going to Dubai.
The South China Morning Post reported that trainer John Moore was informed of the change of plans via a text from owner Johnson Chen. Moore was dismayed at the news, not just for himself, but also for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, whose officials the SCMP reported had suffered a ‘loss of face’.
Hong Kong’s presence at this year’s meeting will be reduced further as sprinters Lucky Bubbles and Peniaphobia will also not be making the trip, with domestic campaigns preferred.
