Friday 20 March 2015 18:51, UK
With just eight days to go before the world's richest race, Sheikh Hamdan thinks the bookmakers have called it wrong as he cast doubt on the chances of Dubai World Cup favourite California Chrome in addition to the two other American-trained contenders.
The Art Sherman-trained California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes last season, but was only fourth in the Belmont in his bid for the elusive American Triple Crown.
His penultimate start of the year saw him finish third to Bayern and Jamie Osborne's Toast Of New York in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
In an interview with the Khaleej Times, Sheikh Hamdan, who enjoyed tremendous success in Britain last year with the likes of Taghrooda, said: "It's true that we are back to dirt races (a reference to the change of surface from Tapeta), but this does not mean that all 'dirt' horses can handle the new surface at Meydan in the same efficiency as they do in Santa Anita and Churchill Downs.
"California Chrome is a very good horse and there's no doubt about that, but the new track at Meydan is not very similar to the American ones.
"But, if this race was to be staged on the previous Nad Al Sheba surface, I would have said the American horses would be very difficult to beat. The underfoot here is stiffer and the American horses are not accustomed to it."
A maximum of nine horses look set to compete for the 20th running of the 10million Dubai World Cup with a third of those trained in America.
California Chrome is attempting to replicate the achievement of fellow Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, who trained on to win the World Cup two years ago as a five-year-old.
Also from America is the second-favourite Lea, trained by Bill Mott, who won the inaugural running in 1996 with Cigar. The Stateside trio is completed by John Sadler's Candy Boy who finished a close sixth in the Classic.
Sheikh Hamdan went on: "I believe only the Godolphin pair (African Story and Prince Bishop) and the Japanese runner (Hokko Tarumae, who has raced exclusively on dirt) are the front runners for the trophy."
African Story was an impressive winner 12 months ago when he easily dispatched Sheikh Hamdan's subsequent Eclipse winner Mukhadram.
