Luck of the draw deserts Electrocutionist

Dubai: Electrocutionist will have to do it the hard way if he is to win Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup after being handed a tough draw yesterday.

The red-hot race favourite was drawn in stall one of the 11-horse field and will now have to cope with the dreaded 'kick-back' in what will be only his second race on dirt.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford described it as "a shocking draw, the worst that we could have had."

"Anything from five upwards would have been great, but one was not what we wanted," he told the Racing Post. "He's never had sand kicked in his face before but he's going to here, for sure. What was a difficult situation has become even more difficult.

"I think we will have to wait and see what Frankie (Dettori) is going to do. He has ridden from that stall before and he will know what to do.

"I am not saying that he is not going to win. We are still really hopeful because he has loads of class but there's no doubt that it has definitely compromised his chance."

Trainer Saeed Bin Surour was equally devastated by the result of the draw.

"If there was one stall that we did not want it was the number one, " said a disappointed Surour.

"We did not get lucky today but hopefully, we can get lucky on Saturday."

History is also not on Electrocutionist's side as no horse in the 10-year history of the Dubai World Cup has won from stall one.

However, most English bookmakers maintained the Godolphin horse as a short-priced favourite, with William Hill going as short as 4/5. In sharp contrast, Brass Hat, winner of the Group 1 Donn Handicap earlier this month, was drawn in stall number 7.

Trainer William 'Buff' Bradley commented: "The draw doesn't really matter. But having said that 7 is a good number.

"He's handled the kick-back before so that's not going to pose a problem at all.

Willie Martinez, who won his first ever Group 1 race aboard Brass Hat in the Donn Handicap, was in an upbeat mood. "I think he's going to get a chance to show the world how good he is," said the rider. "And he's going to love that long straight at the racecourse. He's got so much pace and he's going to put it to use on the straight on Saturday."

Japan's Kane Hekili, a winner of four Group 1 races including the prestigious Japan Dirt Cup, was drawn in stall 3.

Kengo Takada, assistant to trainer Katsuhiko Sumii Nakatani, said: "We would have liked something like 7 or 8. Starting from Gate number 3 might be a bit tricky as he likes to have free space around him. But we expect the jockey to do well."

Magna Graduate, a 14/1 shot, will come out of stall number 8, the same stall from which Cigar won the inaugural Dubai World Cup.

Elizabeth Alexander, owner of the horse, said, "We are happy and ever hopeful."

LATEST ODDS

4/5 Electrocutionist, 5/1 Kane Hekili, 11/2 Brass Hat, 10/1 Maraahel, 14/1 Magna Graduate, Super Frolic, 18/1 Choctaw Nation, 40/1 Star King Man, Wilko, 66/1 Chiguitin, Shakis