Dubai World Cup: Charlie Appleby gives Sky Sports Racing the lowdown on Meydan hopefuls Manobo, Man Of Promise and Yibir | Racing News

As has become a familiar sight at any of the world’s top meetings, champion trainer Charlie Appleby arrives at the Dubai World Cup this Saturday with an embarrassment of riches.

His team of Godolphin runners are not represented in the feature contest, live on Sky Sports Racing at 4.30pm, but the Dubai Gold Cup crown could well be heading back to England with unbeaten star Manobo heading the field for the two-mile contest (12.55pm).

Meanwhile, Appleby sends out three hopefuls for the Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1.35pm), with stable jockey William Buick opting to keep the ride on three-time course and distance winner Man Of Promise.

Manobo

Dubai Gold Cup

“He’s five from five and was impressive on his last start. Conditions were there to suit him on that start but I think he’ll handle stepping up further in trip again.

“The track suits him and he’s the horse they’ve all got to beat.”

Man Of Promise

Al Quoz Sprint

“He ticks the boxes with his course and distance winner on his last start and previously last year as well.

“He’s a typical sprinter and now a finished article as a five-year-old. Mentally, he knows what to do and physically he is able to maintain what he has shown us in the past.

“William [Buick] got off him on Super Saturday and said: ‘If he’s in this form on World Cup night, I don’t want to come off him’ and that’s why he has chosen him again.”

Creative Force

Al Quoz Sprint

“He’s your typical Dubawi – just rock solid. Man Of Promise is stepping up but has the profile, whereas Creative Force has been there and done it.

“On Champions Day at Ascot he showed the world how good he is.

“He shipped out later with Yibir, purposely so, but has adapted well and is in great shape.”

Naval Crown

Al Quoz Sprint

“He won the Al Fahidi and that form has worked out well with Saeed bin Suroor’s [Storm Damage] winning on Saturday.

“In Saudi [last time out] we were drawn 14 of 14 and it was always going to be a tough ask.

“One thing we noticed there is he has got a lot of natural pace and we just feel his options back in the UK are the Lennox as a starting point, but we thought we’d run him in the Al Quoz to see if sprinting can open a few more doors for him.”

Yibir

Sheema Classic

“We put him in the Classic trial last season for the simple reason that we felt he was going to be that calibre of horse.

“He’s a character and unfortunately he didn’t start finding his true form until he had to take the ‘cruellest cut’ [gelding operation].

“From three to four he has been doing all the right stuff physically so if he turns up with his mindset in the right place he is going to be a big player.”