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There are great racehorses, and then there is Forever Young.

On Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse, the Japanese superstar stands on the brink of history in the 30th running of the Dubai World Cup, a race that has defined global ambition since Cigar blazed the trail at the old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in 1996.

Three decades on, the $12 million showpiece demands a performance worthy of its legacy, and all eyes are on a horse already described as the best in the world.

Victory would not just add another Group 1 to Forever Young’s résumé. It would elevate him beyond even Romantic Warrior at the summit of all-time earnings, crowning him the richest horse in history. Romantic Warrior’s benchmark of roughly $31 million in earnings now stands within reach, and victory on Saturday will be enough for Forever Young to eclipse it and claim racing’s ultimate financial crown.

More remarkably, Forever Young would simultaneously hold the three most prestigious dirt prizes on the planet: the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Saudi Cup, which he won for a second time just 42 days ago, and potentially the Dubai World Cup itself.

Meydaan lead the strong home challenge. Photo Dubai RacingClub

That is the scale of the moment.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi has trained champions before, but even he struggles to frame Forever Young in ordinary terms. “A god came to my stable,” he said this week, a statement that reflects both reverence and reality. On official ratings, Forever Young towers over his rivals, holding a 10lb advantage over Magnitude and 11lb over defending champion Hit Show.

Yet if the numbers suggest dominance, the narrative is far more complex. Because Dubai does not yield easily, especially not in its milestone year.

The 2026 renewal has drawn a compact but deeply competitive field of nine, with a formidable home defence led by the UAE’s leading trainer Bhupat Seemar. His pair, Imperial Emperor and Walk of Stars, arrive battle-hardened from the local Dubai Racing Carnival, having finished first and second in the key Al Maktoum trial races that traditionally shape this contest.

Imperial Emperor bids to give champion trainer Bhupast Seemar a second Dubai World Cup victory forllowing Laurel River in 2024. Photo Dubai Racing Club

They are joined by Meydaan, an imperious winner of the Al Maktoum Classic, and a resurgent Hit Show, whose gritty success in the Mineshaft Stakes signals he remains a serious threat to repeat last year’s triumph.

Add in the progressive Tumbarumba, third behind Forever Young in Riyadh, and the American raider Magnitude, and the challenge becomes clear: this is not simply a coronation, it is a confrontation.

For Yahagi, the concern is not the opposition but the variables his horse must confront.

Rain, in particular, looms as an unwanted wildcard over Meydan. A lighter preparation this week reflects both caution and confidence, with Forever Young reportedly in peak condition. But intriguingly, Yahagi has hinted that this year’s smoother Saudi Cup victory may not be ideal.

“A shorter gap is easier,” he admitted, suggesting that the relatively straightforward Riyadh success could leave the horse too relaxed heading into battle. It’s a rare note of vulnerability for a horse who has made a habit of dominating his rivals.

Much will depend on the judgment of jockey Ryusei Sakai, whose rise has mirrored that of his mount. Still relatively inexperienced at the highest level when first entrusted with Forever Young, Sakai has evolved into a world-class rider, renowned for his timing and composure in the biggest and most testing moments.

Together, they form the heartbeat of a team chasing not just victory, but sporting legacy.

Because this Dubai World Cup is about more than prize money or prestige. The 30th anniversary marks a celebration of Dubai’s rise as a global racing hub, a night where over 100 horses will compete across nine races under the lights in a showcase of international excellence. From the stamina test of the Dubai Gold Cup over 3,200 metres to the speed of the 1,200 metre Golden Shaheen, the card reflects the sport’s diversity.  However, it is the 2,000-metre Dubai World Cup that best defines it.

And in Forever Young, the race may have found its perfect protagonist.

Last year, he fell short, finishing third behind Hit Show after a draining Saudi Cup duel. This time, the path appears clearer, but the pressure is infinitely greater. History beckons, yet so too does resistance from a locally trained battalion of horses determined to keep the sport’s biggest prize on home soil.

Thirty years after Cigar, the stage is set for another defining chapter. The world is watching and, now, everyone will be hoping that Forever Young can deliver a masterclass on Saturday.

Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates
Group 1 – $12,000,000 – 2,000m Dirt – 8:45pm (UAE time)

1st: $6,960,000 2nd: $2,400,000 3rd: $1,200,000 4th: $600,000, 5th: $360,000 6th: $240,000 7th: $120,000 8th: $120,00