Doug Watson has come a long way since working on the sidelines and overseeing the ambulance service during the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996.
On Saturday, the eight-time UAE champion trainer saddles one of the leading contenders in the 28th running of the $12 million contest – a Kentucky-bred, Kazakhstan-owned and former Russian-trained horse named Kabirkhan.
A son of 2016 Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome. Kabirkhan has aced both his starts in Dubai which included an impressive four and a half length victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) on his last outing.
“It’s a pretty good story with him … he just happened to walk in to the stable one day and he took over,” Watson said metaphorically.
“When he started doing some fast work he really impressed me. He’s a bit of a lad in the stables but on the track he’s very professional. Oscar Chavez has done a great job with him, it’s just been a nice combination of having everybody involved. “
Going into Saturday’s big race meeting, Kabirkhan sits pretty as the second favourite on the international markets behind last year’s Dubai World Cup hero Ushba Tesoro from Japan.
But that does not surprise Watson.
“The thing is he’s got to step when he takes on some very good horses. I wouldn’t trade him for any horse in the race but I’m very partial and I know the way he’s training and the way he’s run maybe there still some more upward mobility to come. But we know he really likes the track at Meydan.”
Watson does the bulk of his training at his home track in the championship-winning Red Stables but occasionally takes horses across to Meydan for a bit of acclimatisation.
“He did two pieces of work at the track and he was electric, sometimes too fast for his own good,” said Watson. “But it showed he’s in good form and ready.”
Kabirkhan is ready and so are the American’s other four runners on World Cup night – Isolate (Godolphin Mile), San Donato (Dubai Turf), Colour UP (Golden Shaheen) and First Class (Dubai Kahayla Classic PA).
We asked Watson how he was handling the pressure, heading into the UAE’s biggest race meeting of the year with a staggering $30.5 million in prize money on offer.
“It’s a long week, the longest week of the year,” he said. “We’ll always have a little trepidation heading into Saturday. Thankfully the horses have been stress-free, but I’ll have that stress until the race is over.”
How much does he dream of winning a first Dubai World Cup after having spent 31 years living in Dubai and being such a major player in the flat racing industry?
“I don’t want to get that far ahead, but it will mean a lot,” Watson, ever the optimist, said.
“Coming from America where you’re thinking of winning the Kentucky Derby when you’re trying to get into horse racing, I think this would be a bigger win for me as a trainer than the Kentucky Derby.
“I’ve spent the better part of my life over here. I kind of grew up over here and I have been very fortunate to have trained some very good horses for some very good owners and I can never thank the Maktoum family enough for the opportunities they have given me. I’m very grateful.”
Watson’s big-race contenders:
$12m Dubai World Cup (G1)
Kabirkhan
$2m Golden Shaheen (G1)
Colour Up
$5m Dubai Turf (G1)
San Donato
$1m Godolphin Mile (G2)
Isolate
$1m Kahayla Classic (G1 PA)
First Class