Twelve months on from one of the more unlikely finishes in recent memory, Wathnan Racing returns to Dubai World Cup night with quiet confidence—and a horse that no longer needs to prove he belongs.

Hit Show stunned both fans and seasoned observers last year, threading his way through traffic under Florent Geroux to claim the world’s richest race. But inside the Wathnan camp, the result wasn’t viewed as a shock—it was validation.

Owned by Wathnan Racing, the grey son of Candy Ride produced a devastating late surge, overturning a seemingly impossible position turning for home. With only Ushba Tesoro behind him at one stage, he powered past rivals including Forever Young to seal a remarkable victory.

For Case Clay, Wathnan’s US racing and bloodstock manager, the memory still resonates.

“It was very exciting,” he said. “The remit for Wathnan Racing has been to try and win races that the Emir of Qatar and his family would be proud of, and that was a proud night for all of us. Hopefully we can repeat it but it was a special night.”

Now trained by Brad Cox, Hit Show arrives for his title defense in arguably stronger form. His prep included a smooth Grade 3 win at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, where he broke sharply before settling into a rhythm—an improvement on his slow start at Meydan last year.

He also returned to Keeneland in October to successfully defend his title in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes, underlining his consistency through a busy North American campaign.

“After the Dubai World Cup last year we shipped him back to Kentucky thinking let’s just see how he goes,” Clay explained. “Brad said he is really continuing to do well and as long as he is, he’ll just keep training him.”

That durability has become a defining trait. Hit Show thrived on racing through 2025, making five starts after Dubai, and has already had a run this year heading into Saturday’s test.

Geroux, who knows the horse intimately, is once again entrusted with the ride—and likely with the freedom to make his own decisions in running.

“He is a versatile horse and Florent knows him well, so he’ll be able to navigate depending on how the race unfolds,” said Clay. “I’d say there won’t be a lot in the way of instructions.”

Still, this year’s renewal presents no shortage of challenges. Forever Young returns, widely regarded—at least within the Wathnan camp—as the world’s leading horse, while Steve Asmussen saddles the dangerous Magnitude, who narrowly got the better of Hit Show in a three-way thriller in the Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs last November.

“Forever Young at the moment is the best horse in the world,” Clay admitted. “He’s travelled all over the world and won the big races. And Magnitude is a bit of a freak in himself.

“But Hit Show goes in there and doesn’t have anything to fear.”

That confidence isn’t misplaced. Proven at Meydan, adaptable in running, and thriving on a demanding schedule, Hit Show returns not as a surprise package—but as a legitimate contender to write another chapter on racing’s biggest stage.

Image Hit Show advertised on an Emirates B777 flying into Dubai