2012 Dubai World Cup Day Betting Preview Part One

There is an absolutely first-class line-up of thoroughbred racing superstars set to battle it out at the highest level this Saturday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. With a full eight races on the card, you can expect the competition to get especially heated towards the end as the card as we draw closer to the latest iteration of the world's richest race.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE BET ON DUBAI WORLD CUP DAY WITH LADBROKES!

The first race of the day is the Group 2 Godolphin Mile and it features a number of runners who've done well this season at Meydan but maybe not well enough to tackle one of the Group 1 fixtures. Derbaas has failed to replicate the form from last year while Godolphin's Do It All has just been able to break through. Haatheq has been a solid place-only selection but looked up against it last time out.

This one's a tough puzzle but Western Aristocrat has shown the ability to win off a lay-off and he'll be looking to make a big statement for Jeremy Noseda's yard. Most of his running has happened on the turf but the Tapeta at Meydan plays so much like turf that I expect him to acclimate beautifully. He also gets Ryan Moore.

The Dubai Gold Cup is a Group 3 event on the turf where Fox Hunt locks horns with some established contenders in Mikhail Glinka and Mahmood Al Zarooni's Opinion Poll. He came up just a bit short on his sole run in Dubai this year to none other than Fox Hunt. The rematch should be take most of the money and it's notable that Mickael Barzalona has moved off Opinion Poll and Dettori takes the irons this time. Joshua Tree is here but just doesn't look as sharp as he used to.

The UAE Derby boasts a very deep field for this Group 2 spin around the Tapeta strip. Seventeen runners are currently in the mix for this one with notables including Daddy Long Legs running in the Coolmore colours while Genten, a three-year-old son of Bernardini, ships in from Tokyo and should take some serious money in the global pools.

The story for this one might be Lucky Chappy who makes the trip for Team Valor and the Graham Motion yard. He represents their best shot at success now that Animal Kingdom developed an injury that will keep him off the track for a few months. Wrote also lines up for Aidan O'Brien and the three-year-old son of High Chaparral may be able to challenge Lucky Chappy to ensure a winning offspring exacta for the son of Northern Dancer.