Laurel River, who was crowned joint Longines World’s Best Racehorse for 2024, missed the Saudi Cup in February and will not defend his crown at Meydan
World champion racehorse Laurel River has been ruled out of the £9.25 million Dubai World Cup and won’t run again until 2026. In January he was jointly crowned Longines World’s Best Racehorse of 2024 with Derby winner City Of Troy.
He earned the accolade for a dominant victory in the Dubai World Cup last March when he defeated international opponents by eight and a half lengths. He was off the track until January when the Juddmonte owned seven-year-old returned to contest a Group 3 race at Meydan.
He was sent off at odds of 4-11 against vastly inferior opponents over 1m and after adopting his customary frontrunning tactics, he began to tire near the finish and was caught on the line by 66-1 chance King Gold.
The run was supposed to be Laurel River’s prep race for the £16 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February but he was subsequently reported to have suffered a training setback.
Trainer Bhupat Seemar said at the time: “He had a small setback in training and missed his intended workout for the Saudi Cup.
“We will keep him in Dubai and aim him at the Dubai World Cup.” However despite his condition improving Seemar has now announced Laurel River will miss the Dubai World Cup as well.
He said: “Laurel River is doing very good but after his last gallop we realise that there will not be enough time to get him fit for a race of this calibre.
“Juddmonte decided to give him the time and he can come back for the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup 2026.”
As a result of Laurel River’s defection, Japan’s Forever Young, winner of the Saudi Cup, is now 4-7 favourite with William Hill for the big international dirt race at Meydan on April 5.
Seemar trains the next two horses in the betting, Walk Of Stars and Imperial Emperor, who was both 5-1 chance.
Imperial Emperor is owned by British-based Deva Racing, run by Ryan Tongue, whose first job in the sport was serving tea to Sir AP McCoy in the weighing room at Worcester racecourse.
Imperial Emperor was bought from Godolphin for £63,000 since when he has taken his earnings towards £500,000, clinching a place in the field in the Dubai World Cup after winning the Al Maktoum Classic by eight and a half lengths.
