Dubai World Cup Betting Guide

The $12 million Dubai World Cup will run at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. The event is the richest horse race in the world, and it consistently hosts many of the sport’s top runners. 

The past decade has seen a Godolphin-owned racehorse win four times and a U.S.-based runner three times. Mystic Guide, the 2021 Dubai World Cup favorite, fits into both of those as he is a U.S. shipper owned by Godolphin. 

The race covers a distance of 2,000 meters or about 10 furlongs, and it takes place over a dirt surface. Open to thoroughbred three-year-olds and up, this year’s field is set to include 14 entrants. 

Dubai World Cup Race Prediction

Here is a look at the 2021 Dubai World Cup field in post position with odds:

Mystic Guide has been steadily improving leading up to the Dubai World Cup. The American-bred runner is coming off decisive victories in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the Razorback Handicap (G3). He was also the runner-up in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). 

The son of Ghostzapper has impressed his connections since adding blinkers three starts back. Trained by Mike Stidham, the four-year-old has demonstrated his ability to handle this distance, and the only real question is whether he has had enough preparation coming into the Dubai World Cup. The Razorback at Oaklawn Park was his only prep race leading up to the event.

Mystic Guide will be joined by Luis Saez, who was aboard the runner for the first time in the Razorback win. 

One of the top challengers to Mystic Guide among the field is Salute the Soldier, winner of two straight Dubai World Cup prep races. He won the Round 3 Al Maktoum Challenge last time out over the same track. In that victory, he covered the same distance as the Dubai World Cup.

Salute the Soldier is the top local horse at Meydan, and the 6-year-old son of Sepoy easily could have won all three rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge if he had found enough racing room. He is the one that could really outrun the American horses in the 2021 Dubai World Cup. 

Another American runner that is notable among the field is Jesus’ Team. He has not won at this high of a level as of yet, but that could all change. He has consistently performed well in big races, including a third-place finish in the Preakness and second in both the Pegasus World Cup and Breeders’ Cup Mile. 

Jesus’ Team has been tested the most of any runner in this field, overcoming a wide trip last time out in the Pegasus. Despite that, he still managed to finish second behind the speedy Knicks Go. 

Dubai World Cup history

First inaugurated in 1996, the Dubai World Cup is the highlight event during the Dubai World Cup Night of races. The race first started offering its $12 million purse in 2019, at which point it reclaimed its title as the world’s richest race from the Pegasus World Cup. 

Now run at Meydan Racecourse, it used to take place at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse prior to 2009. The race was first held over an all-weather surface called Tapeta at Meydan, but it returned to dirt once again in 2015 due to the unpopular standing of the Tapeta course among American runners.

The first-ever winner of the Dubai World Cup was the American racehorse Cigar, who went on to become a United States Hall of Fame Thoroughbred. 

How to bet on the 2021 Dubai World Cup

In order to place winning bets on the 2021 Dubai World Cup, it requires a little more research than U.S.-based races.

Because it is an international event, there are entrants from various countries. All of this means there may be names you never heard of, so it is important to look at their past performances. This is easy to do as the Dubai World Cup is one of the sport’s top racing events, meaning there is plenty of analysis and insight available. 

Betting is not allowed in the UAE, where the race takes place. This means wagering must happen mostly on online platforms. 

There are many top online platforms that offer betting on the 2021 Dubai World Cup, as well as deep analysis and expert predictions. Some of the most popular online betting platforms include TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica.