Star jockey Mickael Barzalona has declared Caulfield Guineas winner Long John his best chance of success on World Cup night in Dubai.
Formerly trained in Australia by Peter Snowden, Long John runs in the Group Two UAE Derby (1900m) after a dominant last-start win in the UAE 2000 Guineas, his debut run for Godolphin.
Barzalona is a retained rider for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation and won the 2012 Dubai World Cup on Monterosso.
He rode Long John last start and rated him the pick of his five rides at Meydan this weekend.
“Long John proved last time he is a good horse and I think he is my best chance on Dubai World Cup night,” Barzalona said on the Godolphin website.
“He should improve on his win in the UAE 2000 Guineas, which was his first start of the year, and run a great race.”
Long John won five of his eight Australian starts for Darley, the local arm of Sheikh Mohammed’s global operation.
He will be joined in the UAE Derby by Sandown Guineas winner Paximadia who was seventh to Long John at his Dubai debut.
Former Darley gallopers Complicate and Bello will also run in the Group One Golden Shaheen.
