Vazirabad dual Gr.2 Dubai Gold Cup winning French-trained stayer returns to the scene of the crime to attempt the race for the third time. In his previous Dubai Gold Cup run, Belgian champion jockey Christophe Soumillon and the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained five-year-old gelded son of Manduro beat Beautiful Romance and Sheikhzayedroad.

The Aga Khan’s dual Group 1-winning stayer Vazirabad, is reported to be in good order by Alain de Royer-Dupre. In an exclusive interview with Secretariat’s World, Alain de Royer-Dupre his Dubai World Cup prospects and plans:

Q: What are your plans for Vazirabad after the Dubai World Cup?
A: If he looks well we plan to run him in the Gold Cup at Ascot and the new Gr.1 race at Goodwood in August. But only if it is not too hot.The track can get very demanding if the weather is too hot.

Q: What about the Melbourne Cup? Any plans to run him there?
A: We will not be sending him down to Melbourne. The quarantine is too difficult for the horse and I don’t want to risk it.

Q: What are your thoughts about the likely horse competing against Vazirabad?
A: The competition is very strong. But Vazirabad is good horse too. We are very very competitive!

Q: How do you see his career spanning out.
A: I plan to race him for a long time. He has won 12 races so far and we plan to stretch him to just 5-6 races per year for many more years.

Q: And finally what are your thoughts about the Dubai World Cup?
A: The Dubai World Cup is a very nice event.