From Dubai World Cup to Royal Ascot, California Chrome set to be shipped to Newmarket

California Chrome will spearhead an international contingent of eight horses that raced on Dubai World Cup night on Saturday at Royal Ascot in England in June.

America’s horse of the year finished second in the world’s most valuable race to surprising winner Prince Bishop at Meydan, but confirmed he was not far off his best by finishing a length and a quarter ahead of fellow American raider Lea.

California Chrome is set to ship out from Dubai most likely on Wednesday, and will be stabled with Newmarket trainer Rae Guest, who saddled Mirza in to 12th place in the Al Quoz Sprint. He will also be given an entry on Monday in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 16.

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He is likely to be entered in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot over the World Cup distance of 2,000 metres, a race in which Godolphin’s Dubai Millennium achieved the double 15 years ago. Connections also have the option to enter him for the Queen Anne Stakes over 1,600 metres in which Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom floundered two seasons ago.

“It’s an honour,” Guest told The National before flying back to England. “It is not often you get a Kentucky Derby winner in your stable.”

Perry Martin, who bred and owns California Chrome in conjunction with Steve Coburn, made the decision in midweek although it was clearly contingent on the chestnut colt running well in the World Cup.

Guest’s stable was chosen because Chris Mills, the owner of Mirza, has a son, Robert, who works as an apprentice with Guest. A few years ago Robert Mills worked in California with Art Sherman, and as he was riding Mirza in morning trackwork at Meydan, the link was re-established.

The Shermans will return to America and assistant trainer Alan Sherman intends to act as the vanguard in early May, when he will fly to England to apply the finishing touches should California Chrome run at Newbury.

After California Chrome’s run at Meydan, Sherman Snr revealed that he intended to give his stable flag-bearer a rest, stating that the four year old was going to be a tired horse after two runs already this season.

“They won’t do much with him for around ten days,” Sherman Jnr said. “We’ll let Rae tinker with him for a bit until he is bucking and kicking again, and then get back into training. We don’t have a Kentucky Derby horse this year so going to England in early May for me should not be a problem.”

California Chrome has raced just once on turf in November, when he won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on firm ground. Should he run in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes he is likely to face Dermot Weld’s Free Eagle, who was third in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, and possibly Cirrus Des Aigles, the 2012 Dubai Sheema Classic winner. Should he run in the Queen Anne Stakes, Solow, who won the Dubai Turf on Saturday, could be lying in wait.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to race at Royal Ascot and hopeful that California Chrome can put up a good show,” Martin said. “We are looking forward to the experience.”

Other horses to kick on to Royal Ascot from Dubai could include the first three in the Al Quoz Sprint. Sole Power edged out Peniaphobia in a thrilling finish to the 1,000-metre dash, and will look to confirm his superiority over the Hong Kong raider in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, a race he has won for the past two seasons. Wesley Ward’s Green Mask, who was third, could also make the trip from America.

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