WITH Super Saturday upon us, it is time for the final countdown to Dubai World Cup night, run on the last Saturday in March. The world’s richest race, with a prize fund of $10 million, was first staged 20 years ago. The inaugural running in 1996 was won by the brilliant Cigar, and he famously ran up a sequence of 16 straight wins and ended his racing career with 19 victories and earnings of $9,999,815 – a record amount at the time.

Sadly the Hall of Fame member and twice accorded the accolade of Horse of the Year was to prove infertile and he spent his retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park where he was one of their biggest attractions.