Dubai World Cup: O’Dwyer hopes Moore can provide the magic touch

Dubai World Cup: O’Dwyer hopes Moore can provide the magic touch

The 41-year-old saddles Sibelius in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on World Cup night

Sibelius during morning trackwork at Meydan. — Dubai Racing Club

By Joy Chakravarty Published: Tue 21 Mar 2023, 8:23 PM

Jerry O’Dwyer’s Sibelius is stepping up to a Group 1 race for the first time in its life at the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on the World Cup night, and the Irishman is hoping the magic touch of jockey Ryan Moore will make the long, 14-hour trip from Miami worth it.

The 41-year-old O’Dwyer has ridden more than 200 winners in his career as a jockey and is now making his name as a trainer in the United States. He has had 35 winners in his new avatar, but gets a chance to secure his first Group 1 win on Saturday with the fleet-footed five-year-old gelding.

It is Sibelius’ first Group 1 race and also O’Dwyer’s first run in Dubai. He had come here in 2020 with Shotski slated for the Grroup 2 UAE Derby, but the Dubai World Cup was cancelled because of the pandemic.

Sibelius is in winning form, having triumphed in his last two starts at the Group 3 Mr Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream and the Listed Pelican Stakes