CONNECTIONS of Kocab are confident that he can justify the decision to go head to head with American Horse of the Year Curlin in tomorrow's Dubai World Cup.
Trainer Andre Fabre and Prince Khalid Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe opted against the longer 12furlong Dubai Sheema Classic in preference to the lucrative $6 million feature on the Nad Al Sheba dirt.
Kocab finished fifth in the Hong
Kong Vase in December and is reported to be in rude health ahead of the biggest assignment of his career.
"It is a huge adventure for him," explained Grimthorpe. "He is the most consistent horse we have in training – he has only been out of the frame in two starts.
"He won very nicely on the fibresand at Deauville recently, but it is obviously a huge step up in class – but we are still hopeful.
"We had the choice of either the Sheema Classic or the World Cup.
"The Sheema looked very strong on turf form and in Hong Kong he didn't quite stay out the mile and a half, so the mile and a quarter suits him better."
Another set to test the mettle of the mighty Curlin is Vermilion, who has hit form at the right time. The Sei Ishizaka-trained six-year-old has won four consecutive Group One dirt races in Japan after an eight-month break following last year's distant fourth to Invasor in the World Cup.
"He is twice as good as he was last year. We are confident he is the number-one dirt horse in Japan," said Ishizaka.
"We know Curlin very well and will try to be as close to him as possible. We are ready for a good fight on Saturday night."
Mick Channon, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with Majestic Roi's draw for the Dubai Duty Free at Nad Al Sheba, which also takes place tomorrow.
Last season's Sun Chariot Stakes winner will break from gate two in the Group One heat and is the mount of Darryll Holland.
"I think we have got a good draw," said Channon.
"The draw is not too much of a problem – it is the competition that is the problem.
"The Duty Free is a very hot race. They are all Group One winners on their day and it will be down to who performs on that day and who gets a little bit of luck as well.
"But I am happy, but I think everyone is thinking the same."
The full article contains 422 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
