Bhupat Seemar banking on 'high-class' Laurel River to deliver Dubai World Cup glory

With nine runners across five races, including one in the $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup, trainer Bhupat Seemar has high hopes for this Saturday at Meydan.

That number was 10 until Killer Collect was withdrawn due to an injury. The Collected colt was Zabeel’s main contender of Seemar's three entries in the UAE Derby based on jockey bookings when the declarations were announced.

Despite that, the obvious highlight of his entries on the night is Laurel River in the Dubai World Cup race.

The six-year-old son of Into Mischief returned to the racetrack at Meydan in January for the first time in 516 days, but struggled over the 1,200-metre sprint.

However, Laurel River proved a different horse in his next start, coming home six-and-three-quarter lengths ahead to win the Group 3 Burj Nahaar over the 1,600m trip in the Super Saturday meeting this month.

Laurel River is stepping up in trip to 2,000m and there is some speculation over his ability to last the distance. Back in the United States, he won three times in a row, twice over the 1,600m distance and once over 1,400m. He was runner-up on his debut over 1,300m.

“There's a lot of talk about him staying the distance. But I feel, and I think my jockey Tadhg O’Shea feels, that he's going to get better going further,” Seemar said.

“It’s quite an orthodox preparation to go six furlongs on his first start here, and the mile last time out. I think he's a very high-class horse and the good horses have won over six and gone on to win the Breeders' Cup.

“So, I think every high-class horse has to have speed. He hadn't run for a long time and it was easier to run in a six furlong race than to go to a mile straightaway.

“We had him a little bit undercooked because we were trying to