Iranian conflict

Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) is one of nine horses remaining for the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 28. Several horses originally pointing toward the meeting have opted to skip it for different targets as the conflict in Iran has escalated. Yoshito Yahagi's star is joined by 2025 winner Hit Show (Candy Ride), Grade II winner Magnitude (Not This Time), and fellow top level winners Walk Of Stars (Dubawi) and Imperial Emperor (Dubawi). For the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, Calandagan (Gleneagles)...

Group winner Luxor Café (American Pharoah) and two compatriots landed at Japan's Kansai International Airport on St Patrick's Day, Tospo Keiba reported on Tuesday. Originally slated to run in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 28, the full-brother to dual G1 February Stakes hero Café Pharoah will instead look to targets closer to home, as the Iranian conflict continues. One of three horses to return to the Land of the Rising Sun on Tuesday morning, he was joined by Shin Forever (Complexity) and G2 UAE Derby hope...

Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile is the latest to skip the Dubai World Cup night at the end of the month in favour of a target closer to home, Keiba Lab reported on X. Connections have indicated the G1 Osaka Hai on April 5 is his aim. He joins Masquerade Ball (Duramente) and Jantar Mantar (Palace Malice) in defecting from the March 28 meeting due to the ongoing conflict in Iran and surrounding countries. "Danon Decile, the 2024 Derby winner who dominated in last year's Dubai Sheema Classic, will skip...