Dark Emerald books World Cup place

The Brendan Powell-trained Dark Emerald will line-up in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday 28 March.

The five-year-old, who has already won twice at Meydan during the World Cup Carnival, is to contest the Godolphin Mile (Group 2).

The news came after Kieren Fallon rode Dark Emerald to finish second behind the Godolphin-trained Safety Check in the Zabeel Mile and connections decided to keep the five-year-old in Dubai.

Dark Emerald, who has so far only raced on the turf and pocketed £155,767 in prize money, will face his next race on the dirt. 

Richard Mullen has won both times on Dark Emerald in the Nova Stakes and District One Handicap, but was retained by connections to ride in Qatar for the Zabeel Mile.

Powell, enjoying his first taste of saddling a runner in Group company, told www.cdhorseracingtours.com: "Dark Emerald ran another great race in the Zabeel Mile. Kieren (Fallon) said afterwards that if he had stayed on the inner it might have been a different result, but that's racing and we were delighted again with his performance.

"His form is rock solid and although the Godolphin Mile is the on the dirt we've got three-an-a-half weeks to train him on the surface.

"He's so versatile, he's run on heavy and firm and has aso been placed on the all-weather. We've got to give it a go and even for finishing sixth there is £30,000 in prize money.

"Dark Emerald's rating (112) has stayed the same, if Safety Check was running in the Godolphin Mile he'd be favourite. He's broken two track records and we've nothing to lose," he concluded.