World Cup Hopefuls Happy With Draw Connections of Curlin were satisfied after the American Horse of the Year was handed stall 12 for Saturday´s 6million Dubai World Cup. The four-year-old has been in Dubai for over a month and has already tasted victory on the Nad Al Sheba dirt having won the Jaguar Trophy on February 28 on his eagerly-anticipated UAE debut. And the son of Smart Strike is favourite to add the World Cup to October´s Breeders´ Cup Classic triumph after impressing throughout his preparation work, although no horse has yet to triumph in this race from the 12 box. "He has done very well since he has been here and he tends to run better the second time he runs over a course. We wanted to get him a race over Nad Al Sheba and the races have worked out well for us," said Scott Blasi, number two to trainer Steve Asmussen. "The draw suits us fine. With the configuration of the race track, position is not too important." Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor smiled and insisted he was "happy" after improving multi-million dollar colt Jalil was drawn in eight, with stablemate Happy Boy in three for Sheikh Mohammed´s outfit. Despite Jalil´s unbeaten three-from-three record in Dubai this winter, three-time World Cup-winning rider Frankie Dettori is acutely aware of the threat posed by Curlin. "I have been very impressed by Curlin. But he is beatable, every horse is beatable," stressed Dettori. "But if the Curlin of the Breeders´ Cup or Preakness Stakes turns up, then it is going to be very hard. "But he has had to travel a long way - it is different conditions on a different track. We have a good hand and we have to go out thinking we can beat him. "But it is still there in black and white that he is rated 11lb higher than us and that tells its own story." After costing the Godolphin operation 9.7million as a yearling, Jalil last year failed to impress on the turf in Britain. However, the son of Storm Cat is slowly living up to his huge price-tag. "Jalil always had potential, he is a fantastic-looking horse - a little on the weak side - but he always had potential to become a good one," added Dettori, who finished last on Discreet Cat in the 2007 World Cup. "He seems to love the dirt and every time we have pulled the bar up he has rose to it and gone on. "We haven´t got to the bottom of him yet, but he has had three challenges this year and every time he has come up with the goods. "Now he has got a higher step to climb but he has got something more to give." (C) PA Sport
