DUBAI: Defending champion, Monterosso heads a star-studded list of nominations for the $10m Dubai World Cup on March 30, which also includes Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, Pacific Classic star, Dullahan and South African supermare, Igugu.

The 18th running of the world’s richest race has attracted 272 nominees, from 11 countries at closing of the free nominations.

Among them are 184 from the UAE, 27 from the US, 18 from South Africa, 11 from Japan, seven from Great Britain, four from Hong Kong and two from Singapore.

From the US is the Eclipse Award-winning Breeder’s Cup Ladies’ Classic and Beldame Invitational heroine, Royal Delta.

The Dale Romans-trained duo, Dullahan and 2012 Breeder’s Cup Classic victor, Little Mike have also been nominated and are expected to have runs on the March 9 Super Saturday card en route to Dubai World Cup day.

Like many Dubai World Cup nominated horses, both also hold nominations for the Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free and the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Following on from the memorable victory of Victoire Pisa in 2011, there is strong Japanese representation in the Dubai World Cup day nominations, headed by four-time Grade 1 winner, Gentildonna in the Dubai Sheema Classic and high-class sprinter, Lord Kanaloa, who holds a nomination for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the third leg of the 2013 Global Sprint Challenge.

Igugu, Mike de Kock’s highly-anticipated champion mare is one of 18 Dubai World Cup nominations from the South African. She has also been nominated for the two Group 1 US$5m turf races, the Dubai Duty Free, which has attracted 304 nominations and the Dubai Sheema Classic, which has 266 nominations, including 2011 Melbourne Cup and 2012 Caulfield Cup winner, Dunaden.