Global Weekly Preview - 27.03.15

African Story will attempt to carve a special place for himself in Dubai World Cup history at Meydan on Saturday. The Godolphin star bids to become the first to win back-to-back runnings of the world's richest race, facing strong international opposition.

James Doyle, the jockey entrusted with the mount, recognises the scale of the challenge but is hopeful of pulling it off. "African Story has drawn 3, and our biggest worry will be those out wide wanting to cross over and crowding us early," Doyle pointed out. "But African Story has a lot going for him. He is a mature, hardened top class racehorse who comes here off the back of a gutsy win in the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge. Not forgetting, of course, he is the defending champion, and that counts for a lot."

African Story seems to peak on World Cup night. In 2012, he landed the Godolphin Mile. The following year he finished fifth to Animal Kingdom in the World Cup, and last year, he produced his career best performance to win the feature race.

To some extent, the sand remains his biggest challenge, although he has won on it. He relished the Tapeta surface in his two biggest wins. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained African Story beat stablemate Prince Bishop at Meydan on March 7, which is usually a good trial for the big night.

My favourite Dubai World Cup was that won by Dubai Millennium in 2000. Godolphin's equine powerhouse simply annihilated his rivals with the most stunning display of speed and brilliance ever seen at the old Nad Al Sheba track.

Different times, different course, and even a changed racing surface this year. But as in the good old days when Cigar won the inaugural running in 1996, the Americans pose the greatest threat in this $10m showdown.

California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby winner, is drawn widest of all in gate 9, but his connections are adamant there could be no better post position for him on the new sand track at Meydan. He hates kickback, and Victor Espinosa, his jockey, will be under instructions to steer a wide passage as he seeks a position in the first three in the early jostle of the first 200 yards.

There would be some symmetry to the history of the World Cup if Lea, another American, could win the 20th running of the world's richest race. He is trained by Bill Mott, who prepared the mighty Cigar for that special first win back in an era when purists argued it would be impossible to stage credible racing in the desert in the Middle East.

Lea, a lightly-raced six-year-old, won at Gulfstream Park in January before running on well to be an encouraging second in the Donn Handicap at the same track last month. He has the tactical speed to be up there all the way from gate 5 under the impressive Joel Rosario, who partnered Animal Kingdom to victory two years ago.

That really only leaves the two Japanese contenders. Epiphaneia, the Japan Cup winner, tackles sand for the first time, which is a big ask, but Hokko Tarumae has won his last three on dirt in Japan, and is likely to be perfectly suited.

He finished last of 16 runners behind African Story in last year's World Cup, but that was on Tapeta, a synthetic surface, whereas this is on sand, which he clearly prefers.

The $6m Sheema Classic promises to live up to its name as an absolute classic of a race. Main Sequence had the edge over Flintshire in the Breeders' Cup Turf, but the French-trained contender has had a perfect prep for this and should like the track.

Maxime Guyon, who rides Flintshire, also has a big chance of landing the $6m Dubai Turf on Solow, the Freddy Head-trained grey. He will have plenty of time to overcome his awkward draw.