A Dubai World Cup favourite, Forever Young 🇯🇵 (フォーエバーヤング), set off bucking during his final prep ahead of a historic bid to become the first horse to win both the $20 million Saudi Cup 🇸🇦🏆 and the $12 million Dubai World Cup 🇦🇪🏆 in the same season.

A victory would place Japan’s racing star alongside dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow 🇮🇪 as the only horses to have won both the Group 2 UAE Derby and the Group 1 Dubai World Cup.

Ridden by jockey Ryusei Sakai, the gutsy colt has won eight of his ten starts. Japan last clinched the Dubai World Cup in 2023 with Ushba Tesoro 🇯🇵 (ウシュバテソーロ), who is attempting a comeback on Saturday.

Forever Young 🇯🇵, the four-year-old son of top-class runner Real Steel 🇯🇵(リアルスティール), walked home calmly alongside Shin Emperor 🇫🇷 — a Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic hopeful — and American Stage 🇺🇸, a Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen runner ridden by #jockey Oisin Murphy.

The trio is trained by renowned handler Yoshito Yahagi, best known for winning the prestigious Japanese Triple Crown 🇯🇵👑 with Contrail 🇯🇵 (コントレイル), becoming the first Japanese trainer to secure victory at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Loves Only You 🇯🇵(ラヴズオンリーユー), and for his distinctive, colourful hats. 🏇

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Dubai World Cup trackworkFOREVER YOUNG, a Group 1 Dubai World Cup favourite, bucks at the start of his final morning trackwork at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, April 4, 2025. Dubai World Cup trackworkFOREVER YOUNG, a Group 1 Dubai World Cup favourite, exercises in his final morning trackwork at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, April 4, 2025.