Sherman living the dream

Art Sherman believes Dubai World Cup favourite California Chrome gives hope to "the little guy" as he prepares to shoot for the £3.8million first prize at Meydan.

Last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero is a strong favourite for the richest race in the world following a memorable three-year-old campaign that also included Grade One successes in both the Santa Anita and Hollywood Derby.

He was also third behind Bayern and Toast Of New York in a pulsating race for the Breeders' Cup Classic, and has pocketed over £2.5m in prize money for owner-breeders Perry Martin and Steve Coburn.

"By a $2,500 stud out of a maiden $8,000 claiming mare, to come by and win all these races, it gives an incentive to the little guy," Sherman said.

"This is a game where you can buy your way into a lot of things, but we are proof that a dream can happen. You don't have to be a millionaire or a billionaire to win these kinds of races.

"In the end, I'd like to leave some sort of legacy with him that says 'wow, I remember California Chrome, he was a great horse and we had a lot of fun watching him run'.

"I call him the California rock star. He's got such a following all over the world. I thought nobody would know me in Dubai but from the moment I stepped off the plane, people said 'there's California Chrome's trainer'.

"Everybody wants you. Royal Ascot and Hong Kong want me there. He's kind of like a drawing magnet for racing right now."

California Chrome will break widest of all in stall nine, news which thrilled Sherman.

He added: "He has taken everything in his stride and is in great form. I am delighted with stall nine as he likes to run from the outside and, obviously, we have all the early speed inside us."

American runners have won the race on nine occasions and Lea is the second US representative for trainer Bill Mott, who won the inaugural World Cup with the great Cigar in 1996.

"It is great to be back with a serious contender," said Mott. "We are drawn in the middle (stall five), which is perfect."

Last year's winner African Story is back for more but he will have to defy the weight of history if he is to become the first dual winner of the race in its 20th running. The eight-year-old is the second horse to try to defend his title, with 1998 hero Silver Charm the only other runner to return for a second bite of the cherry.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor will also field Prince Bishop as he bids for a seventh win in the World Cup, although African Story is the leading hope following his win in the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge earlier this month.

Bin Suroor said: "African Story won this last year on the all-weather and proved he can win on dirt on Super Saturday. With good horses like him, the surface really makes less difference as the best horses will handle any surface.

"He has a nice draw in three, while Prince Bishop, from stall one, will hopefully break better than he has the last twice."

Side Glance is no stranger to the World Cup having been fourth in the last two renewals for Andrew Balding and he will be having his first outing since finishing fourth in the Cox Plate last October.

The eight-year-old clearly knows the track but with the original Tapeta surface having been replaced by a traditional dirt track since last year, Balding admits there is an unknown element this time around.

He said: "He has earned prize money in dirhams, pounds, dollars and all sorts of currencies. I'm really looking forward to Saturday and I am hoping he takes to the surface and performs to his best as we know the configuration on the track suits him well.

"The dirt is the unknown factor but I am hoping he will be OK on it. He went away to gallop at Southwell and will wear an eyeshield with half-cut blinkers in the race. They were something that trainers David Simcock and Dhruba Selvaratnam suggested we tried to help him and he has been working away fine in the headgear.

"He is holding his form really well and you could argue that his Cox Plate run was a career best. He has a new rider in Andrea Atzeni, who is the new jockey to his owners, but he is world class and there are no worries there."