Judged by the ratings given to its winners, the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, U.A.E., has rarely ranked as the pre-eminent horse race in the world but, with a prize chest of US$10 million, it continues to be the world's richest horse race. And that fact alone has ensured that it has drawn a full field of 16 runners for its 19^th renewal, scheduled for Saturday, March 29^th, 2014, at 11:35 p.m. IST.

First run at nearby Nad Al Sheba in 1996, when trainer Bill Mott's all-conquering Cigar lit up the stands, the 2000 metres event is now run on a Tapeta (all-weather) surface at Meydan. It has become the grand finale of a star-packed evening meeting that features supporting events over a wide range from sprints to long distances, with some run on turf and others on the patented synthetic surface. The big race's scroll of honour includes the likes of Animal Kingdom, Cigar, Curlin, Dubai Millennium and Street Cry.

There is a degree of disappointment over the quality of the assembled company this time around. For a start, there is not a single American-trained runner in the field. And if you cast an eye over the last 6 performances of each of the 16 runners, you will find that only four of the runners have recorded Racing Post Ratings (RPR) of 123 or higher. That makes it more like the cast for a Group 2 event, rather than the richest race on earth! Nevertheless, it's an intricate puzzle, what with the necessity to evaluate form lines from at least ten different countries and three different surfaces – turf, dirt and synthetic.

After years of treating the meeting with indifference, Irish power-house Coolmore decided relatively recently that it would well be worth the effort to prepare some of their runners early and to target the rich prizes on offer. Thus the field for the Dubai World Cup includes the most recent Epsom Derby winner, Ruler Of The World (by Galileo), trained at Ballydoyle Stables in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien. The four-year-old's last racecourse appearance came 161 days ago at Ascot in the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

In an intriguing twist, the colt had barely arrived in Dubai when the announcement was made that Qatar's Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing had acquired a 50% share, and that he would race in that organization's silks henceforth, although remaining with his Irish trainer and continuing to be ridden by Joseph O'Brien.

When last seen, Ruler Of The World had put up a career-best effort, with an RPR of 125 when a close-up third to Farrh and Cirrus des Aigles. Given that he has been pleasing all in his work, he seems, on the face of it, to be worthy of the public support he has received. There is one serious caveat, though: until they race on it, one never knows how a turf runner will adapt to a Tapeta surface. What's more, he has been drawn 12. Hence the currently available odds of 7 to 2 seem niggardly.

Apart from the Irish-trained favourite, the runners include Hillstar, Mukhadram, Side Glance and Red Cadeaux from Great Britain, Belshazzar and Hokko Tarumae from Japan, Ron The Greek from Saudi Arabia, Akeed Mofeed and Military Attack from Hong Kong, and the South African-bred and trained Sanshaawes.

After working her on the all-weather surface at Great Leighs in England last week, The Fugue's connections decided to re-route her to the Dubai Duty Free on the same card. This is a pity, as she could well have become the first female to annex the world's richest horse race. But then she could also have failed to act on a surface that is alien to her and surely her connections know best.

Hillstar (by Danehill Dancer) and Mukhadram (by Shamardal) are well held on form by Ruler Of The World, unless they are magically galvanized by the different ground conditions. The former is from the yard of Sir Michael Stoute, who till this day remains the only British trainer to have saddled a winner of this race. A lightly-raced runner, with only 8 starts under his belt, the 14-1 Hillstar will need to show some improvement, as well as the ability to shine over 400 m. less than what appears to be his ideal distance. The fact that Ryan Moore is astride ought to help.

Mukhadram is a perfect 10-furlongs customer and at his very best could go close. He certainly holds the tactical advantage of being able to dictate terms on the front end, should the need arise. Aiming to give his owner, Sheikh Hamdan, a third victory in the event, following Almutawakel in 1999 and Invasor in 2007, the five-year-old hails from the yard of William Haggas. Retained rider, Paul Hanagan, the only pilot the strongly-made bay has ever known in 10 career starts, will remain in charge with his mount easing from 10-1 out to 12-1 upon being drawn 13.

No such issues relating to surface apply to Side Glance (by Passing Glance), as that seven-year-old has already shown his adaptability to Tapeta when fourth in last year's Dubai World Cup. Running in the Pearl Bloodstock silks, Andrew Balding's brown gelding is to be ridden by Jamie Spencer. However, the fact that he is at 33-1 tells its own tale.

Also indifferent to environmental conditions is last year's runner-up Red Cadeaux (by Cadeaux Genereux). But for the fact that he might just be past his best – the eight-year-old will be making his 43^rd career start – and that he is drawn wide (14), Ed Dunlop's grand gelding would have been a fairly warm order in this field. French ace Gerald Mosse continues his long-standing association with the chestnut, and even as an outsider at 25 to 1, there would be no more popular winner should he defy age and score.

Robin Trevor-Jones, who is supervising Red Cadeaux's preparation, is quoted as having said: "He worked on Saturday and then had an easy day. He had a normal canter (on Monday) and is his usual self. He is very happy in himself and he loves this surface. He has been doing 12 furlongs for fun and does love the ground."

Ron The Greek (by Full Mandate) has made all but the most recent of his 23 career starts in the USA, where he was trained by Bill Mott. Now based in Saudi Arabia, and renamed Wattani, he triumphed with ease at his sole effort at Al Janadriyah Racecourse in Riyadh in January. Though he is now a ward of the Nicholas Bachalard stable, an element of familiarity will be restored as the US-based Jose Lezcano – the seven-year-old's regular rider when he was in training Stateside – is flying in to take the mount. His trainer was philosophical about his chances, after having drawn widest of all in post position 16, saying: "The horse has been training very well. Not much we can do about it." In the USA, he has been adjudged to be a 5 to 1 chance, although British bookmakers are offering 14 to 1.

Speaking from Hong Kong, Richard Gibson – trainer of the 8 to 1 Akeed Mofeed (by Dubawi) – is reported to have been pleased with his charge's progress: "No problems from what I hear so far. He seems to be very happy in his new environment. He did fast work at Sha Tin last week and he went out there a very fit horse." Akeed Mofeed started his career in Ireland but has evolved into a money-spinner since he moved to the Far East.

On form, the five-year-old entire, to be ridden by Douglas Whyte, can scarcely be separated from his great rival, the year-older Military Attack (by Oratorio), who too has earned millions in his new home, after baptism in England. It was the latter who came up trumps in the most recent clash between the pair, and this has seen him installed as the second favourite at 6 to 1. On that occasion Military Attack was steered by Joao Moreira, who remains in command aboard John Moore's ward. How the two Sha Tin adversaries adapt to Tapeta will determine their fate here. The trip should suit both runners.

Having tasted success 3 years ago with Victoire Pisa, the Japanese are back with two representatives – Belshazzar and Hokko Tarumae, both offspring of King Kamehameha, and both currently quoted at 14 to 1 as there is not much to differntiate them on form. While the former beat the latter in the Japan Cup Dirt late last year, the mount of Christophe Lemaire has not been quite as consistent as Hideaki Miyuki's, who has been placed at his last 15 starts, which have yielded 9 victories and over $7 million.

South African-bred and trained horses have acquitted themselves very well at the Dubai Racing Carnival over the years and there has been no better ambassador for that country's Turf than schooler Mike de Kock, who has sent out Sanshaawes (by Ashaawes) four times already at Meydan this year. To be steered by Christophe Soumillon, the progressive gelding encountered a rough trip last time but for which he would have been coming in to this event off a hat trick.

That brings us to the five remaining runners, all of which have Godolphin/Maktoum connections. Prince Bishop (by Dubawi), with Kieran Fallon up and winner of both his Meydan starts this year, and Meydan regular African Story (by Pivotal), with Silvestre de Sousa aboard, are a pair of seven-year-olds trained by Saeed bin Suroor. While they may have "home" advantage, they do not strike one as potential winners of the world's richest race.

Neither do Charlie Appleby's duo of Vancouverite (by Dansili) and Cat O'Mountain (by Street Cry) have as much appeal as the international challengers, even though accomplished horsemen in the shape of William Buick and Mickael Barzalona respectively have been declared to ride them.

That leaves Surfer (by Distorted Humor), from the Zabeel Stables of Satish Seemar, to complete the line-up with Richard Mullen hoping to guide him to victory. What a great boost it would be for his connections should he surprise! In an interview the trainer is reported to have said: “He is a very talented horse, but has been unlucky with draws. He will run an incredible race.” Alas, the draw did him no favours as he is in gate no. 10.

In the final analysis, the invaders from the Far East, namely Hong Kong and Japan, could well hold the advantage over the Europeans and the locals.

Another from that part of the world, Gentildonna (by Deep Impact) will aim to beat back the formidable challenge of Coolmore's Magician (by Galileo) in the chief supporting event, the $5,000,000 Dubai Sheema Classic over 2400 m. Both were ridden to famous victories last November by Ryan Moore and that rider is now paired with his Japan Cup heroine, with Joseph O'Brien back astride the Breeders' Cup Turf hero. The American stayer, Twilight Eclipse (by Purim), who was not beaten by much by Magician at Santa Anita, is in fine form and could threaten this pair. As could the great Cirrus des Aigles (by Even Top), slightly disappointing on his seasonal debut but probably the better for that experience, and Hong Kong's Dominant (by Cacique), conqueror of The Fugue on his home track last December.

As mentioned earlier, The Fugue (by Dansili) goes in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (1800m.) on turf one race earlier, where she will face the unbeaten South African ace Vercingetorix (by Silvano) and Sir Michael Stout's Dank (by Dansili), whose moment in the sun came in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November. To add spice to this mix comes Just A Way (by Heart's Cry) from Japan, a model of consistency.

Incidentally, both these turf races go up in value to $6,000,000 apiece in 2015, to commemorate the 20^th year of the Dubai World Cup meeting.