Knicks Go part of high-class nominations for World Cup night

PA Sport Reporters
February 2, 2021 5:45 pm

Glittering Meydan card attracts big names.

Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go heads a star-studded list of nominations for the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 27.

Brad Cox’s five-year-old got the year off to a flying start with an all-the-way win at Gulfstream Park last month, to follow up his Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile triumph.

Knicks Go is among 176 nominations for $12million Group One that includes Bob Baffert’s lightly-raced Malibu Stakes scorer Charlatan.

Knicks Go after his triumph in the Pegasus World Cup (Mathea Kelley)

Other major contenders for the 10-furlong showpiece are Shug McGaughey’s multiple Group winner Code Of Honor, Godolphin’s unbeaten Maxfield from Brendan Walsh’s American stable and the Bill Mott-trained Tacitus.

John Gosden’s Dubai Warrior – who is expected to run in the Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 2 next week – has been given an entry.

Addeybb is the standout in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, although he is more likely to head to Australia instead, according to his trainer William Haggas.

The Japanese representation is led by Chrono Genesis, who most recently won the Arima Kinen at Nakayama in December.

Chrono Genesis (far side) is in the Dubai Sheema Classic (JRA)

Among other big names are 2019 Hong Vase victor Glory Vase, the Mott-trained Channel Maker, David Smaga’s Nao Da Mais and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mogul.

The Gosden-trained Prince of Wales’s Stakes scorer Lord North is one of the nominations for the Dubai Turf.

The Group One could also be the target for the likes of Bahrain International Trophy winner Simsir, trained by Fawzi Nass, Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes victor Colonel Liam and Fort Lauderdale Stakes winner Largent, both under the care of Todd Pletcher, and David O’Meara’s admirable globetrotter Lord Glitters.

American-trained horses account for 13 of the 24 winners of the Dubai Golden Shaheen. They have a typically-strong offering, including Peter Miller’s C Z Rocket, Steve Asmussen’s Yaupon and Doug O’Neill’s Wildman Jack.

Saudi Arabia and Dubai assignments on agenda before July Cup winner Oxted gets back to business in Britain this year. Read more from @RogerTealRacing @thesaudicup 👇
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 27, 2021

The six-furlong Al Quoz Sprint has attracted nominations from across the globe, headed by by star Australian sprinter Bivouac, trained by James Cummings for Godolphin.

Among other winners at the top table are Neil Drysdale’s Oleksandra and Roger Teal’s July Cup winner Oxted.

There is a strong British presence in the Dubai Gold Cup, headed by Charlie Fellowes’ Melbourne Cup-placed Prince Of Arran, Mark Johnston’s Prix Royal-Oak scorer Subjectivist and Andrew Balding’s Doncaster Cup winner Spanish Mission.