Frankie Dettori aims to make history by becoming most successful jockey at Dubai World Cup

The 28th Dubai World Cup at Meydan on Saturday has all the makings of an absorbing, wide open race.

The defending champion Ushba Tesoro bids to become only the second horse after Godolphin’s Thunder Snow to win the $12 million Group 1 prize in successive years.

The Japanese rider is also up against Senor Buscador who beat him in the last stride in the $20 million Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Jeddah last month.

In the mix are a host of others including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up and last year’s UAE Derby hero Dermo Sotogake, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Newgate, and the local-trained hopefuls Laurel River and Kabirkhan.

Derma Sotogake was fifth in the Saudi Cup and before that had both Ushba Tesoro and Senor Buscador behind him in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He was returning to the track in Jeddah after a 111-day lay-off and should have benefitted from the outing ahead of the Dubai World Cup.

The Bob Baffert-trained Newgate with Frankie Dettori on top will be a horse to watch in the 12-runner field.

The American is the second most successful trainer in the history of the Dubai World Cup, winning it four times, and stands only behind Godolphin's Saeed bin Suroor who has triumphed nine times.

Baffert and Dettori combined to win the Dubai spectacle with Country Grammer in 2022 and they are back with a big chance with Newgate.

Dettori also shares the most success in the race with Jerry Baily on four and the Italian will be out on his own as the all-time leading jockey of the Dubai World Cup in he can win again on Saturday.

Kabirkhan and Laurel River are both stepping up in class but are still in with a shout, with the latter having won three times back in the United States,