Dubai World Cup 2022 Betting Tips: Top Picks, Post Positions And Outside Bets

Life Is Good is the favorite to win the $12m Dubai World Cup this year and cement his place as one of American horse racing’s best runners in years Saturday.

The Todd Pletcher-trained colt leads the horse racing betting odds for the Dubai World Cup 2022 despite being drawn on the rail for the 2,000 meter dash.

Saturday’s race is expected to draw millions of horse betting fans from across the world, with US punters taking a particular interest in the three American horses competing.

Life Is Good is expected to battle it out against Hot Rod Charlie, Midnight Bourbon, and Country Grammer for the post at Meydan – but it won’t be easy going for the favorite due to his post position draw.

Indeed, the racing odds have already changed since the draw was completed Tuesday. So, let’s take a look at the latest betting tips leading up to Saturday’s big race…

Dubai World Cup 2022 Race Card

The Dubai World Cup 2022 takes place on Saturday, March 26th with 11 horses competing for the $7.2m first prize. It is one of the biggest horse races of 2022 and there are horses from six nationalities competing in this race: three American horses, three from the UAE, two from Saudi Arabia, and one each from Japan, Brazil, and Kuwait.

Here are the post positions heading into Saturday’s big race…

Dubai World Cup Form Guide

Having won the Pegasus World Cup just two months ago, it’s clear to see why Life Is Good is considered the in-form horse here. He hasn’t won since Gulfstream Park in January and has won five of his six career races. Irad Ortiz Jr is an experienced jockey and it is this form that makes Life Is Good such as viable winner here.

However, rival horses also come into Meydan in good form. Country Grammer placed second at the Saudi Cup last month and is has a great relationship with jockey Flavien Prat. Midnight Bourbon was third in Riyadh, while second favorite Hot Rod Charlie won the 12-field Al Maktoum Challenge on this racetrack at the start of February.

Form-wise, there really is little to split the big boys heading into Saturday’s race.

Dubai World Cup 2022 Draw

The 2022 Dubai World Cup draw has thrown up some big winners and losers before the race has even started. In fact, so much so that bookmakers have swiftly altered their prices on the frontrunners ahead of the race.

Here, we take a look at the winners and losers from the Dubai World Cup 2022 draw…

Good Draw

Saeed bin Suroor’s Real World has been drawn in Gate 6 for the race this weekend – and it’s fair to say the Godolphin horse’s gate has excited his connections.

“I’m very happy with that, we’ve got the best draw,” Bin Suroor said. “He came back very well from his last run, his draw is brilliant and Christophe (Soumillon) the jockey knows the track very well. He’s a two-time winner of the race (with Thunder Snow in 2018 and 2019) so it’s great to have him on our side. It’s a very tough race and it’s hard to win. You always have to have a good horse. We’ve won it nine times and we’ll try to do it again.”

Indeed, sixth is a good draw. As is Country Grammer in fifth. So much so that Country Grammer’s odds have come in to +900 off the back of the draw. Hot Rod Charlie, on the other side of Real World, has also been gifted a fine start.

Bad Draw

On the rail is Life Is Good, the hot favorite who will have to work hard to avoid being squeezed by Aero Trem and Chuwa Wizard. Of course, horse racing betting fans know all too well that Life Is Good can bolt from the gates quicker than most – and he will need to do that here. On the opposite side of the gate stands Hypothetical and Remorse, two horses that the bookmakers weren’t expecting to be competitive before the draw, and whose odds have not shifted since.

Average Draw

Sitting in gate 8, the owners of Midnight Bourbon could have hoped for a better draw but at least their runner can latch onto Hot Rod Charlie by the bend. The same can be said for Gate 3’s Chuwa Wizard, last year’s runner-up to Mystic Guide. His trainer Ryuji Okubo said: “I’m happy with the gate and his condition is better than last year. He’s got the experience of Meydan last year and that has served him well for this year. I’m happier this year and Gate 3 is perfect.”

The bookies aren’t expecting much from Chuwa Wizard (+2500) but often Japanese horses are overlooked in international races in the desert. A place or show here would be a minor surprize but not a total shock.

Country Grammer is a strong tip to win the Dubai World Cup

Dubai World Cup 2022 Predictions

This is expected to be a highly-contested Dubai World Cup. Four horses – Life Is Good, Country Grammer, Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon – all have a genuine chance of storming this race. But the outsiders Real World and Chuwa Wizard cannot be ignored.

The big prediction for most punters is whether Life is Good stays true to form and blitzes the field. Right now that appears unlikely because of his draw, although if jockey Ortiz Jr gets the kick start then Life Is Good may be uncatchable.

What’s sure is that the core group in the center of the draw will likely jostle for position and leave only one to emerge from that scramble. This might be Midnight Bourbon, who last won a race at Fair Grounds in January 2021 and who is usually a good bet to place, but not win.

Best Dubai World Cup Bet

If you’re banking of Life Is Good to win this race and expect Midnight Bourbon to show, then a one-two on this pair is the obvious bet at reasonably good odds. However, the likes of Chuwa Wizard could spoil the party with a long-shot place or show.

Indeed, we shouldn’t expect the ‘big four’ favourites to all come in close to each other here. Hot Rod Charlie is tipped to do well but his odds aren’t exactly tempting to a bettor seeking big profits. Instead, the heart flirts with COUNTRY GRAMMER, a horse well priced and experienced on this track.