CALIFORNIA CHROME started a short-priced favourite for the World Cup in March but was surprisingly beaten by Prince Bishop. Art Sherman's quadruple Grade 1 winner arrives here on the back of a Grade 2 victory at Santa Anita and is in a different league to these rivals so conceding just 15lb to them all in a handicap shouldn't prove a problem. Good Contact was a decent enough handicapper in the UK and took well to Dirt here last month when just failing to catch Munaaser. Godolphin have booked the promising Edward Greatrex with his 6lb claim and he can grab a share of the spoils. Stable companions Hunting Ground and Pit Stop were a couple of lengths behind in that latter event but the Korea-based Success Story caught the eye with a strong late run behind Top Clearance last month.
California Chrome (USA) 3-5fav (8-7) Stalked,bid,clear,held, won at Santa Anita 1m stks fst in Jan beating Imperative (8-7) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
El Tren (IRE) 66-1 (9-1) Tracked leader, ridden 600m out, weakened final 400m, 13th of 14, 20 1/4l behind Forries Waltz (9-1) at Meydan 1m 1f (1) gf in Jan.
Good Contact (USA) 11-1 (8-11) 2nd of 10, shd behind Munaaser (9-1) at Meydan 1m 2f hcp fst in Jan.
Hunting Ground (USA) 3-1 (9-4) 5th of 10, 2 1/2l behind Munaaser (9-1) at Meydan 1m 2f hcp fst in Jan.
Pit Stop (IRE) 33-1 (8-9) 6th of 10, 4 1/2l behind Munaaser (9-1) at Meydan 1m 2f hcp fst in Jan.
Plantagenet (SPA) (8-9) 7th of 14, 13 1/2l behind Faulkner (9-3) at Meydan 1m 1f hcp fst in Feb.
Storm Belt (USA) (9-5) 4th of 6, 7 1/2l behind Special Fighter (9-4) at Meydan 1m 1f hcp fst in Jan.
Success Story (QA) 10-1 (9-0) 3rd of 14, 2 1/4l behind Top Clearance (9-0) at Meydan 1m hcp fst in Jan.
