ENGLAND is set to field five runners in the $4 million Dubai World Cup a week next Saturday. The quintet joined three horses from the US, two from Dubai and one each from France, Japan and Australia in a probable field of 13 for the world's richest race announced by the Dubai World Cup committee.
Heading the British challenge is Singspiel, going for his third big international prize after victories in the Canadian International and Japan Cup for Michael Stoute last year.
His owner Sheikh Mohammed will also be represented by Flemensfinth (John Gosden) while Saeed Manana has Hong Kong International Vase winner Luso (Clive Brittain) in the line up. Completing the team are last year's 2,000 Guineas second and third, Even Top (Mark Tompkins) and Bijou d'Inde (Mark Johnston).
Also competing for Europe is Elie Lellouche trained Helissio, emphatic winner of the 1996 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, who will be ridden by French champion jockey Olivier Peslier.
The US, for whom Cigar led a clean sweep of the places in last year's inaugural running of the 10 furlong Nad Al Sheba event, will be represented by Donn Handicap winner Formal Gold (William Perry) and Richard Mandella's pair Siphon and Sandpit.
Hokuto Vega, who has won her last 10 consecutive races on dirt, will represent Japan while the Gai Waterhouse trained Juggler flies the flag for Australia.
The home challenge is made up of Kammtarra, winner of the HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge, and Key of Luck who scored a runaway victory in the 1996 Dubai Duty Free.
The Saeed bin Suroor trained Tamayaz looks more likely to run in the Dubai Duty Free but still keeps his Dubai World Cup options open.
After the probable field was announced the racing secretary of the Emirates Racing Association, Kevin Greely said: "It looks a very open and competitive race. The field is of the highest quality with the average rating of the runners being 122, which is slightly up on last year's running and a record average rating for any international race ever held."
The final field will be announced at the post position draw a week today.
American pair Siphon and Sandpit head Ladbrokes' opening show of betting on this year's running, quoted at 3 to 1 and 7 to 2 respectively. Ladbrokes' Mike Dillon explained: "This looks to be an ultra competitive Dubai World Cup and in my view the professional dirt horses from the USA must have the call in the market even ahead of horses of proven quality such as the Arc winner Helissio and Michael Stoute's Japan Cup winner Singspiel."
Helissio and Singspiel are both offered at 5 to 1, with quotes on the other British contenders ranging from 12 to 1 for Flemensfirth to 33 to 1 Bijou d'Inde.
William Hill also make Siphon their favourite, at 11 to 4, and have chalked up Sandpit at 4 to 1 one point shorter than Helissio and Singspiel.
"Last year the American horses swept the board with Cigar beating Soul of The Matter and L'Carriere," said the firm's David Hood.
"This year it looks like Siphon and Sandpit will dictate the market. It is impossible to ignore the chance of the American horses against the Europeans. We have learned from the Breeders' Cup races that they handle the climate and the dirt surfaces far better than our own horses."
. Fergus Sweeney, the season's leading apprentice, took his score on the all weather to seven winners, and his career tally to 31, when gaining a stylish victory on Walk The Beat in the Carnoustie Claiming Stakes at Southwell.
