Forever Young booked his ticket for the Kentucky Derby with a smooth success in the UAE Derby.

Advertising once again Japan’s standing on the world stage, Forever Young was following up his victory in the Saudi Derby last time out.

His sights will now be set on the Race For The Roses after he wore down Auto Bahn close home to win with authority for Yoshito Yahagi, no stranger to winning on Dubai World Cup night after his treble two years ago.

Yahagi explained how it was a poignant success: “This is after my master trainer my father passed away this morning.

“He is potentially very high class and he did not enjoy the travel to Saudi but he still performed very well.

“He travelled better to Dubai. I really believe my team will keep him in good order to go for the Kentucky Derby.”

Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai added: “His condition has improved since Saudi. I really trusted him to perform to his best today.

“I believe this horse is unbeatable at the moment. A lot of good owners and trainers have given me good opportunities, like they did on this horse.”

Ryan Moore almost pulled up Henry Adams, who failed to face the kickback, while stablemate Navy Seal finished fifth under Wayne Lordan.

The Godolphin Mile went the way of outsider Two Rivers Over for Doug O’Neill and Edwin Maldonado, in which Simon and Ed Crisford’s Swing Vote finished eighth.

“Turning for home, I was trying to get him out and in the clear,” said Maldonado.

“This means such a lot, I’m super grateful to the owners and couldn’t ask for more.”

Tadhg O’Shea was seen to great effect on Tuz in the Golden Shaheen.

O’Shea, who has made a great career for himself in the UAE, won the race two years ago on Switzerland and was a nose from victory last year on the same horse when beaten by Sibelius.

Japan’s Don Frankie made a bold bid but O’Shea spied a gap up the rail and Tuz quickened up in impressive fashion to run out a wide-margin winner.

“This makes up for a narrow defeat last year in a race that’s been lucky for me,” said the jockey. “He needed his race last time but put this to bed in a matter of strides. Back in his own back yard, he was a different horse tonight.”

Paddy Twomey’s One Look maintained her unbeaten record with a workmanlike display in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race at Cork.

Sent off the prohibitively priced 1-20 favourite to beat four rivals, she did so with the minimum of fuss but failed to shake up the ante-post Classic markets.

Having won the Goffs Million on her racecourse debut, the daughter of Gleneagles went into the winter as a big fancy for the 1000 Guineas.

Twomey carefully selected her reappearance run and her starting price suggested the calibre of opposition she was up against, although in the heavy ground, Billy Lee had to shake her up.

While she ultimately won by three lengths, Coral left her unchanged at 9-1 for the Newmarket Classic.

“She did exactly what we were hoping she would do. We got her out, got her some exercise and education and it has gone to plan, so I’m very happy,” said Twomey.

“We had the plan in our head that we were coming (regardless of the heavy ground), she settled and quickened and it was pretty straightforward. I don’t think I’ve trained many 1-20 shots!

“That was her first piece of work for the year, so we’ll sit down and make a plan. We have a couple of more fillies to run, so we will see where we go but she is in the Irish, English, French and German Guineas.

“If she runs in Newmarket (English 1000 Guineas), she would go straight there, but if she runs in Ireland, she might run again.

“She is a lovely-actioned filly, was ready to run today and I think she’ll progress plenty.”

There was a mild surprise in the opening Welcome To The Racing Home For Easter Festival 2024 Fillies’ Maiden, which went the way of Johnny Murtagh’s debutante Wide With Delight (20-1).

Winning jockey Shane B Kelly said: “She is a lovely filly with a really good attitude. Her work has been good at home but we thought she might need the run. I’d say she isn’t too bad.

“We hacked early in the race and I took back to be behind Colin (Keane, on favourite National Lady), as he would bring me where I needed to be if mine was good enough – and it worked out well.

“She pricked her ears out of greenness and had a good look around but she was still going forward. She was a lovely ride, has a great attitude and is really likeable.”

Patrick Mullins will be reunited with Fun Fun Fun when his father Willie Mullins fields a strong squad for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.

The Closutton operation are responsible for 10 of the 18 runners in the Grade One event – including betting favourite Jade De Grugy – with the Irish champion trainer saddling the winner in six of the last 10 renewals.

Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Fun Fun Fun was in fact bred by the trainer’s son, who was regularly the man in the saddle last season when the duo secured Grade Two honours at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The decorated amateur was aboard for Fun Fun Fun’s winning hurdles bow at Thurles but has since given way for Paul Townend and Daryl Jacob to undertake steering duties in her next three outings.

However, fresh from landing the Grade Three Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle at Naas under Townend earlier this month, Mullins is back in the plate for her shot at the big time.

He said: “I bred Fun Fun Fun and it’s great to get back on her. Her pedigree suggests the ground and trip will be no problem, she’s a relation to The Listener and Yorkhill.

“She’s stepping up in trip and she’s usually a fast horse, so there is a question mark, but her pedigree suggests she will be fine.”

Stablemate Jade De Grugy sports the colours of leading owner Kenny Alexander, who claimed this prize with his star mare Honeysuckle in 2019, before the race was renamed in her honour.

Jade De Grugy went to the Cheltenham Festival with a big reputation and expectations to match, but having disappointed when only fourth in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, she is being backed to show her true colours as she quickly reappears.

“Jade De Grugy will probably be hard to beat,” continued Mullins.

“I think Cheltenham very much turned into a sprint and it was a Flat-bred horse that won the race. We would be disappointed if we don’t see better from her on Sunday.”

Away from the Mullins battalion, Jessica Harrington has a live contender in the form of second-season novice Jetara, who was pulled up here last year but has won three times this term and was last seen hitting the frame at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Gavin Cromwell’s Bioluminescence arrives in search of a hat-trick in the colours of JP McManus, having won a Limerick Grade Three earlier this month, while stablemate Only By Night has some smart form to her name also.

There is UK interest in the form of Fergal O’Brien’s Springtime Promise, who is unbeaten in three starts since switching to the Ravenswell Farm handler and beat some useful opponents when claiming the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown last month.

“We’re very pleased with Springtime and she surprised us first time up and has just progressed from there,” said O’Brien.

“Sedgefield wasn’t pretty but she got the job done and then she was very good at Sandown in the Jane Seymour, which I think was a deep enough race. Springtime and the Skelton horse (Cherie D’Am) pulled a long way clear from everything else and we’ve been very pleased with her.

“She won’t mind the ground, so we keep our fingers crossed. Willie Mullins has declared 10, but we always just do our own thing and whatever turns up, we do our best to try to beat them.

“In these graded races, you have to worry about yourself and, touch wood, she is in great form, she’s schooled well and had a little breeze on Friday – and I’m very happy with her.”

Hong Kong star California Spangle shattered the track record when seeing off Star Of Mystery and Diligent Harry in a red-hot Al Quoz Sprint.

Trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by Brenton Avdulla, the six-year-old has spent the majority of his career racing over seven furlongs and a mile and even finished second in the 2022 Hong Kong Derby over 10 furlongs behind Romantic Warrior.

He has locked horns with Golden Sixty on many occasions but having his first start over six furlongs since January 2022, he displayed blistering speed.

The winner was never far from the pace but had Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry for company for most of it.

California Spangle’s superior stamina kicked in close home as he stamped his authority on the contest, as Charlie Appleby’s three-year-old filly Star Of Mystery made late headway under Frankie Dettori to beat Diligent Harry for second.

“We came here knowing we had a good chance,” said Cruz.

“But we also knew that giving 13lb to Star Of Mystery would be tough. When he hits the front, nothing can catch him, and we were all over the moon when he took the lead.

“He broke a record on his debut over 1,000 metres (five furlongs), then we stretched him out to a mile, but in this 1200m you have to run at 1400m to win it.

“He’s a horse I think that can go places. I believe his ability is better than the others. It’s 10th time lucky for me in Dubai.”

Cox was understandably delighted with the performance of Diligent Harry and said: “We’re really pleased he’s been placed in a Group One.

“He’s repeated what we were seeing at home and it is very important that he travelled out here so well. He doesn’t like soft ground, so his season will be governed outside that.”

Tower Of London once again displayed a smart turn of foot to win the Dubai Gold Cup.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old had come from the back of the pack to win in Saudi Arabia last time out and once again Ryan Moore dropped him out at the rear.

His task was made somewhat easier as Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov was withdrawn at the start on veterinary advice.

The field only went at a sedate pace and it might not have looked the right place to be, especially with John and Thady Gosden’s Champions Day winner Trawlerman helping to dictate matters.

When Kieran Shoemark kicked on early in the straight it briefly looked as if he may have slipped the field.

However, his backers soon knew their fate as Al Nayyir loomed up on the bridle looking the likely winner.

Unfortunately for him, Tower Of London was just about to hit top gear down the centre of the track and the Galileo colt came with a sweeping run, looking a stayer very much on the upgrade.

“We’re delighted, we felt he would come on from Saudi – all the staff have been very happy with him out here,” said O’Brien.

“Ryan gave him a beautiful ride, he got it spot on. What can you say about him, he’s so cool. He saved ground on him and then dropped him on the line.

“I Imagine he’s an Ascot-type horse, the Hardwicke or maybe the Coronation at Epsom.”

Moore said: “We had a position down the back and I tracked Jim Crowley’s horse (Sea Stone). He picked up well in the straight and put up an impressive performance.”

Part-owner Michael Tabor was enjoying his first trip to Dubai and said: “I just felt that throughout the whole race, he had plenty in hand, everything suited him.

“He didn’t have the greatest of draws, but Ryan is Ryan.

“Two miles is as far as he wants to go and he’s possibly better at a mile and a half. Ryan was adamant, don’t be frightened to go back to a mile and a half. All those races are open to him.”

Blood Destiny will clash with Spillane’s Tower once again when he is tasked with extending Willie Mullins’ excellent record in the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.

The master of Closutton has a stranglehold on this Grade One event, winning the last five runnings – with Cheltenham Gold Cup heroes Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs both on the roll of honour.

Currently locked with Jim Dreaper on five victories in the race, Blood Destiny has the chance to make Mullins the outright leading trainer in the two-and-a-half-mile event if building on his impressive success in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan earlier this month.

Blood Destiny put six and a half lengths between himself and Spillane’s Tower on that occasion, but the scoreline between the duo is one-one, with Jimmy Mangan’s likeable six-year-old gaining the upper hand when they met over the WillowWarm Gold Cup trip at Punchestown in January.

“Blood Destiny and Spillane’s Tower are having round three and I think conditions are probably going to suit Spillane’s Tower better with it being back up in trip and level weights,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father.

“But we’re probably going to use the same change of tactics with Blood Destiny as we did the last day. We had been riding him forward, but we’re now riding him more conservatively and maybe that will help Blood Destiny turn the tables from the last time they met over this trip anyway.

“We were hoping he was going to be an Arkle horse, but just the way the season started with him, we changed tack. This is a very valuable race at a prestigious meeting, so it worked well.”

Only Galopin Des Champs of the five Closutton winners of this race has been favourite and also classed as the Closutton first string, so it could prove wise to pay attention to the all-conquering stable’s second runner in the line-up, Tactical Move.

Second to Irish Grand National fancy Nick Rockett here on New Year’s Day, he has since impressed in two further starts over the larger obstacles and justified odds-on favouritism in good style when claiming a Naas Grade Three most recently.

“Tactical Move is out of a sister to Denman and is a horse of huge ability, just very fragile,” continued Mullins.

“You couldn’t rule him out either and he’s a horse with a huge engine. He’s obviously a lot older than your usual novice, but he has Grade One potential without doubt.”

Mangan won this with Conna Castle in 2008, while Gordon Elliott is also seeking a second WillowWarm Gold Cup and will rely on Cheltenham Festival fourth Zanahiyr and Saint Felicien.

Noel Meade was the last trainer to win this before the recent Mullins dominance and he will attempt to break the Closutton streak with Flanking Maneuver.

Denis Hogan’s Thecompanysergeant completes the field following his second to Mister Policeman in the Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase at Thurles.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle has given birth to her first foal, a filly by Walk In The Park.

The news was announced on social media by Peter Molony, racing manager to Honeysuckle’s owner, Kenny Alexander, who said: “It’s a girl! Honeysuckle has foaled a bay filly by @coolmorestud @grangestud Walk In The Park at 11:30 last night!! Mother & daughter reportedly doing well.”

Honeysuckle was trained expertly by Henry de Bromhead to win 17 of her 19 races including the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021 and 2022.

She met with the only defeats of her career at the beginning of the 2022-23 in the Hatton’s Grace and Irish Champion Hurdle but went out in a blaze of glory when winning the Mares’ Hurdle last March.
Now 10, Honeysuckle is slated to visit Blue Bresil for her next covering, the sire of Constitution Hill.

Musselburgh’s Premier meeting, due to feature the £100,000 Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup, has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Despite only 3mm of rain falling in the early hours, that came on top of already saturated ground which tipped conditions over the edge.

Musselburgh’s general manager Bill Farnsworth said on social media: “Unfortunately racing today has been abandoned. We had 15mm of rain yesterday and we had a further just over 3mm this morning.

“The ground is very wet, it has been an incredibly wet winter. Normally Musselburgh would take this rain no problem but just because it is so wet and the water table is very high it hasn’t taken it so well and the ground is saturated in places.

“Next to the running rail the ground is just soft and fine but just a few strides away from that line it is much softer and we would regard it as unfit for racing, it is saturated.

“The most important thing is we put the safety of the jockeys and horses first. We’ll be back another day, it’s not the end of the world but it is very disappointing.”

Oisin Murphy got his fractions spot on as Fire Demon came with a strong late run to reel in Cross The Tracks in the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap at Newcastle.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, he was heavily backed into 9-4 favouritism but Andrew Balding’s charge looked to have plenty to do with two furlongs to run.

Cross The Tracks appeared to have slipped the field under Sean D Bowen, with the bottom weight holding a two-length advantage at the furlong pole.

His stride visibly began to shorten, though, just as Fire Demon was hitting top stride.

With nothing else making up any ground, it was left to Murphy and Balding to take the race for the second successive year, having scored with Desert Cop last season before the race was run as a handicap.

Murphy said: “I was in the perfect spot and this race suited him. He came here in good form, looked great in his coat and Andrew was very sweet on him.

“A stiff six (furlongs) probably does suit him. If the horse was on a different continent, you’d imagine he’d get two turns going a mile in America, maybe one day.

“He’s really straightforward to ride now. We ran him over seven a couple of times early on where he led and didn’t quite finish, but this sort of test suits him.

“He’s all there now as a three-year-old and it’s great that Juddmonte are good supporters of Park House Stables.”

Benoit de la Sayette’s loss was Danny Tudhope’s gain as Prydwen ran out an easy winner of the BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap.

With former champion apprentice De La Sayette stuck in traffic on his way north, George Scott turned to Tudhope for the six-year-old and few ride Gosforth Park better than the Scotsman.

Sent off a 10-1 chance, Tudhope settled just on the quarters of the pace-making Palace Boy, before he made his move shortly after turning into the straight.

Tudhope headed to the rail and soon accounted for Palace Boy and while the hat-trick seeking Spartan Army and Vaguely Royal looked in prime position to attack, they could not get near the winner.

The race was over a furlong out as long as Prydwen saw out the trip and he ran right through the line. Duke Of Oxford made late gains to claim second, beaten three and a half lengths, with Spartan Army in third.

Tudhope said: “He gave me a lovely ride, I had a nice position early, he was happy where he was and he controlled the pace.

“I was always confident, I was always going well. I don’t know much about his form, it was a late call-up. George said the track might not play to his strengths, but he travelled sweetly and did it the hard way.”

Karl Burke’s Cuban Tiger added to the trainer’s smart crop of three-year-olds when just getting the better of Sayedaty Sadaty in the BetMGM Burradon Stakes at Newcastle.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who has moved the majority of his string to Burke’s Leyburn stables, the Havana Grey colt looked to have plenty to do on the official figures with a rating of just 87.

However, he had only had two runs, winning on his debut and just losing out to Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech last time out – and he had clearly improved for that experience.

Appleby’s unbeaten Silent Age looked a major contender but he did his chances no favours by becoming upset in the stalls and it was Oisin Murphy on Sayedaty Sadaty who tried to dictate.

Despite at one stage looking like being swallowed up, Sayedaty Sadaty gamely stuck to his task but while the favourite Orne and Silent Age dropped away, it was Clifford Lee and Cuban Tiger who challenged last and got the verdict by a neck.

Burke already has a smart three-year-old cold in Night Raider, while his Fallen Angel is strongly fancied for the 1000 Guineas.

“We were hoping he’d run really well, but you never know what you’re taking on with two-year-olds coming into their three-year-old career,” said Burke.

“The Gosden horse (Orne) looked pretty strong and the Godolphin horse (Silent Age) fluffed the start, but I knew we had the horse that was better than his rating, so I wasn’t worried about handicaps and it was just a question of how good he was.

“He loves that surface and he’s a good moving horse, I don’t think he’d want too softer ground. We’ll discuss with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid where we go next.

“He’s a lovely horse who is still green. I don’t think he needs to go further than a mile at the moment.

“We’ve got a big team of three-year-olds and some real nice stuff there, so fingers crossed they can all stay in one piece.”

On Night Raider, he added: “He came out of Southwell really well and he’s a lovely horse. You’d have to say he’s got more gears than this fella, that’s for sure.

“He’s a very good horse, whatever he does. It’s a massive step up from two Southwell novices to a 2000 Guineas, but at the moment he deserves to be in it and his future is ahead of him beyond the Guineas.

“That (racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting) is Plan A and I’ve got to discuss it with Steve (Parkin, owner). Steve is very keen not to have a run and just go for the gallop, but when Danny (Tudhope) jumped off him at Southwell, he felt he was still very green.

“For me, another race would do him the world of good, but at the moment it’s a racecourse gallop, with probably an entry in the seven-furlong conditions race and we’ll just see what that looks like.”

Limestone Lad, one of the most popular Irish hurdlers of the modern era, has died at the age of 32.

Trained, owned and bred by the late James Bowe, Limestone Lad won 35 of his 65 races during a six-year career that featured four victories in Grade One company.

Three of those top-level triumphs were achieved in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, most famously beating a familiar foe in the brilliant three-time Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq when bagging his first win in the race in 1999.

His other Grade One success was achieved in the 2002 Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown, while he was also narrowly beaten in the 2003 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown by Like-A-Butterfly and was twice placed in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“It is a sad day, Limestone Lad was a one-off and he actually died in the field he was reared in,” said Bowe’s son and long-time assistant, Michael.

“He was a great horse who for whatever reason captured the public’s imagination. He was a bit like Robin Hood as he took from the rich and gave to the poor!

“Beating Istabraq in the Hatton’s Grace was a big day, but there were lots of good days. I remember him winning the Morgiana in Punchestown one year when he looked well beaten and somehow fought back to get back up – it had to be seen to be believed.

“He wore his heart on his sleeve and whenever he ran there was nowhere to hide for the opposition. He was a one-off and I only wish I was able to clone him.

“It is sad that he’s gone, but he had a great retirement and he enjoyed every minute – and we’ve still got the memories…and the trophies!”

Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Coltrane bids for a big-race victory on the international stage in a Dubai Gold Cup stacked with staying talent at Meydan on Saturday.

Owned by Mick and Janice Mariscotti, the Andrew Balding-trained seven-year-old has been an ever-present in the top marathon events over the past few seasons and was consistent as ever last term.

Winner of the Sagaro Stakes in May, he returned to Ascot to go down by less than a length at the Royal meeting, but turned the tables on Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami when landing the Lonsdale Cup at York in the summer.

Although not at his best in the closing stages of 2023, he is primed for action in the Middle East, with his big-race pilot Oisin Murphy full of respect for the opposition which features plenty of well-known names.

He said: “Coltrane has travelled to Dubai really well and Maddy O’Meara (Balding’s assistant) has been cantering him every day.

“It’s a really hot contest and there’s Trawlerman, Siskany, Eldar Eldarov, Giavellotto, Tower Of London and that’s with probably leaving some out – it’s a really competitive race.

“It’s a really competitive renewal of the race, but he’s beaten many of them before.”

The likely favourite is Aidan O’Brien’s Red Sea Handicap winner Tower Of London, who will bid to supplement his Saudi success over Ian Williams’ Enemy.

O’Brien said: “We were delighted with what he did in Saudi Arabia.

“We felt he was only just ready to start so for him to do that was very encouraging.

“We are stepping him up in class for the Dubai Gold Cup and we think he can come forward from his win last month. He handles fast ground, he’s pacey, he quickens and stays well. That type of horse can do very well around the world.”

Other runners familiar to a UK and Irish audience include Champions Day scorer Trawlerman and Roger Varian’s dual St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov.

Of the Godolphin-owned Trawlerman, joint-trainer Thady Gosden said: “He came here last year and was in Riyadh before when things didn’t quite go to plan, but his form improved through the year and of course won on Champions Day at the backend.

“He’s been training well through the winter and he seems to be going the right way.”

Charlie Appleby’s Siskany, runner-up to O’Brien’s Broome in last year’s renewal, is another major contender for the Godolphin team, having already won twice at this year’s Dubai Carnival.

“Siskany does what it says on the tin really, he’s a very consistent horse who loves the flat tracks, he’s two from two for the winter and goes there in great order,” said Appleby.

“We’re putting the cheek pieces back on, just because we’re stepping up into tougher company. I feel this year’s renewal of the Gold Cup is one of the strongest we’ve seen for a few years.

“Turning in I thought we might have just nicked it in this race last year, but he probably just got outstayed. Two miles is his maximum trip and unfortunately we just came out second best.”

Charlie Appleby is confident Star Of Mystery will give Frankie Dettori a “good spin” as the legendary Italian prepares to don the Godolphin silks once more in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Saturday.

Dettori has a long and illustrious history with Sheikh Mohammed’s operation, of course, notably booting home three winners of the Dubai World Cup itself in the royal blue silks.

And having reversed his decision to retire last autumn, coupled with the fact Appleby’s stable jockey William Buick is unable to do the weight, the 53-year-old has been recalled by his former employers to partner a filly who appears to have major claims of striking Group One gold on the World Cup undercard.

Appleby said: “There’s no man with as much experience around Meydan as Frankie on World Cup night. Frankie rode for myself and the Moulton Paddocks team for a number of years and his Godolphin history is far longer and better than mine!

“With the weights as they are, William can’t do the 53 (kilograms) and having watched Frankie doing the light weights in America as he has been doing all winter, we approached him to ride a filly who, as I said to him, will give him a good spin around there.”

While Star Of Mystery won a Listed prize and finished second in the Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last season, Appleby admits to being surprised by just how well she has done since being sent to the Middle East over the winter.

The daughter of Kodiac won her first two starts at Meydan, including the Group Two Blue Point Sprint in January, and her trainer feels she was unfortunate not to complete the hat-trick when runner-up to William Knight’s Frost At Dawn in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint four weeks ago.

Appleby added: “She’s thrived since she’s been out here. I’ll be brutally honest, when we rolled the dice in the Blue Point, we were sort of dipping our toe in to try and get that Group-race placing on her CV, but she was very impressive in the way she picked up and I felt she repeated it again on her last start.

“If you switched the positions on the track, we could have won again, but take nothing away from the winner Frost At Dawn, who has been very consistent as well and sprinting looks to be her forte.

“Dropping back to the five furlongs for the Blue Point and the Nad Al Sheba has taught our filly how to race the right way, she was always a bit free in the jockey’s hands over six and would get there too easily and was not doing things quite the right way round.

“Over five, she comes from way off the pace and hopefully that will allow Frankie to be able to drop her in and ride a race on her and use that finishing speed that she’s shown.”

Frost At Dawn is again in opposition, as is the Clive Cox-trained Diligent Harry, who steps up in class following successive Listed wins on the all-weather in Britain.

Knight said: “It’s massively exciting, to have a runner on World Cup night is what we all get up for, but to go into the race with what I feel is a real, live chance makes it even more exciting.

“Once we dropped her back to six furlongs and then to five on Super Saturday, she’s really shown her true potential.

“It’s probably been a blessing coming out here as we’ve been able to work out her trip properly. Having won a seven-furlong novice at Chelmsford in early December, it’s crazy to think we’re out here on World Cup night running in the Al Quoz Sprint.”

Emaraaty Ana adds further British interest for Jamie and Saffie Osborne following his lucrative win in Qatar last month, while Hong Kong’s California Spangle and American raider Casa Creed look the pick of the international brigade.

Aidan O’Brien is fully aware of the importance of Auguste Rodin to the thoroughbred breed as he aims to add another stellar Group One to his CV in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

By the late Japanese sensation Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin showcased his talent on the world stage last year by completing the Derby double at Epsom and the Curragh before adding the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Turf to his tally.

On Saturday he is attempting to win on a third continent, with the brave decision to keep him in training as a four-year-old, especially given Coolmore will eventually be looking for him to take over from Galileo at stud, not lost on his trainer.

“He’s so important to the breed of the thoroughbred,” said O’Brien.

“He brings together the best of Japan and Europe – the best of two continents – and it’s fair to say he’s one of the most important and exciting horses we have ever had. He really does have a chance of exerting a huge influence on future racehorses.

“It was a very brave decision by the lads to keep him in training, most definitely. There was already huge interest in him as a stallion prospect. But his owners are enjoying their racing more than ever these days and they are conscious of how unique this horse is. I think it’s great for everyone in racing that we can enjoy him again this year.

“We feel he has matured well from three to four and the reports from the team at Meydan are that he has travelled there well and is in great form.

“He is ready to run to his best and we are very excited about the journey ahead.”

Later in the year O’Brien is keen to see if Auguste Rodin can handle a dirt surface, which would make him even more valuable and unique.

“I think, as a rule, Deep Impacts are more grass horses, but we were very surprised the way he worked on dirt in America during the Breeders’ Cup,” he added.

“He cruises over the dirt, he’s a beautiful mover. He’s a very unusual-actioned horse so it will be very interesting to see how the season progresses. We can’t wait to see him back.”

There is at least one formidable obstacle to Auguste Rodin, however, in the shape of the Japanese filly Liberty Island, a multiple Group One winner in her homeland and last seen filling the runner-up spot behind her esteemed compatriot Equinox, who was nothing sort of sensational in last year’s Sheema Classic.

Auguste Rodin’s jockey Ryan Moore knows the strength of Japanese racing as much as anyone, and is full of respect for Liberty Island in a deep field.

“He had a gallop at Dundalk last month and he has been gearing up very well for this target since then,” he told Betfair.

“We never underestimate the opposition though, and you’d be pretty foolish to, given the make-up of this field.

“The strength of the Japanese circuit is there for all to see in this – Liberty Island’s winning run was only brought to a close by Equinox in the Japan Cup and we have to give that filly 5lb here, which is a pretty big ask – and there are Group One winners everywhere else you look too, not to mention the progressive Spirit Dancer.

“The winner will have earned their success.”

The British contingent is headed by John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Emily Upjohn, who has not not been seen in competitive action since disappointing in the King George at Ascot in July.

Thady Gosden said: “Obviously things didn’t quite go right there (in the King George), so we gave her a bit of time afterwards and she’s been in good order since really.

“She’s been training well through the winter. Obviously it’s very difficult getting horses ready with the long, dark nights and the cold weather, but she’s enjoying her work and has travelled over without a bother. Like everyone she’s happy to be here and is enjoying the experience.

“She’s a filly who has always shown plenty of talent and she’s progressed well through her career, of course winning the Coronation Cup last year against the boys. She’s in a similar situation here over a mile and a half against colts, albeit in a much more international race against some of the best horses in the world, as you’d expect.”

Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up with 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance. The six-year-old disappointed behind Equinox 12 months ago, but returns for a second attempt off the back of claiming at Group Three prize in Qatar in February.

“It was great to see him back at that level in Doha. He obviously had that great spell two years ago, winning those Group Ones culminating in winning a Breeders’ Cup Turf,” said Appleby.

“Last year was a bit stop-start. Our plan of working back from the Sword Dancer met with a bit of a mishap where he clipped heels (at Saratoga in July). He didn’t go down, but Richie (Mullen) got a bad fall and the horse just lost his confidence.

“We went to Kempton for an easier assignment with the hope that he would gain confidence from it and you could visually see that he had and we went to Qatar with a horse that we felt was back on his A-game. It was a great ride by William that day, but you’ve got to have the horse underneath you and the combination did a great job and won very impressively.

“He’s come here in great nick. The Sheema Classic is probably the strongest race of the evening, but the mile-and-a-half turf division is always a strong division wherever you go.”