LONDON, March 23: U.S. trainer Dale Romans has had the $6-million Dubai World Cup in his sights ever since Roses in May finished a gallant second to Ghostzapper in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Lone Star Park in Texas last October.

The horse’s only race since then was in February when he finished second again, this time to Saint Liam in the Group One Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Two honourable defeats in high-class company have been enough for British bookmakers to quote Roses in May as 6-4 favourite for Saturday’s big race at Nad al Sheba.

Romans said at the track on Tuesday: “I didn’t squeeze the lemon tight enough to win the Donn, but he’s at his best now.

“I really didn’t want to lay it all on the line in his first race back, especially prepping for a $6-million race.”

The trainer is confident Roses in May will last out the 2,000 metres, a distance he has raced only once, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

He also predicted that Roses in May, whose career was delayed until he was a three-year-old by a tendon injury, could develop into a horse of the same calibre as past Dubai World Cup winners such as Cigar and Silver Charm.

Roses in May has won seven of his 12 career starts, including the Group One Whitney Handicap, amassing $1.89 million.

London betting: 6-4 Roses in May, 6-1 Congrats, 7-1 Lundy’s Liability, Yard-Arm, 8-1 Chiquitin, 12-1 Adjudi Mitsuo, 14-1 Choctaw Nation, Jack Sullivan, 16-1 Grand Hombre, 20-1 Dynever, 25-1 Elmustanser, 33-1 Ruler’s Court, 66-1 Kings’s Boy.

Runners, riders: 1. Adjudi Mitsuo (trained by Masayuki Kawashrima, Japan) ridden by Hiroyuki Uchida 2. Chiquitin (Jerry Barton, Saudi Arabia) Mick Kinane 3. Choctaw Nation (Jeff Mullins, U.S.) Victor Espinoza 4. Congrats (Dick Mandella, U.S.) Tyler Baze 5. Dynever (Christophe Clement, Saudi Arabia) Jose Santos 6. Elmustanser (Doug Watson, UAE) Richard Hills 7. Grand Hombre (Saeed bin Suroor, UAE) Frankie Dettori 8. Jack Sullivan (Gerard Butler, Britain) Darryll Holland 9. King’s Boy (Jerry Barton, Saudi Arabia) Aaron Gryder 10. Lundy’s Liability (Bobby Frankel, U.S.) Pat Valenzuela 11. Roses in May (Dale Romans, U.S.) John Velazquez 12. Ruler’s Court (Ismael Mohammed, UAE) Kerrin McEvoy 13. Yard-Arm (Mike de Kock, South Africa) Weichong Marwing

Race starts 1720 GMT.—Reuters