International cast converge on Meydan Racecourse for Emirates Super Saturday
Dubai World Cup places are up for grabs as the stars converge on a superb Emirates Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse on 1 March.
Six of the day's nine races offer automatic entry to corresponding races on the big day on April 5, including the featured G2 Al Maktoum Classic (sponsored by Emirates Airline), over the Dubai World Cup course of 2000metres on dirt.
A full field of 16 line up, including G1 winner Kabirkhan, who aims to bounce back from seventh in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge last time out.
Bhupat Seemar runs Imperial Emperor, who finished in front of Kabirkhan when second to Walk Of Stars in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge.
Seemar also runs Artorius, fourth in the G3 Firebreak Stakes last time, the mount of Pat Cosgrave.
The third Seemar runner is recent course winner Guns And Glory, who will be ridden by Richie Mullen for owner Fitri Hay.
The G2 Singspiel Stakes (sponsored by Emirates Airline) offers guaranteed entry to the G1 Dubai Turf for the winner and nine take their chance.
The favourite is likely to be four-time Group 1 winner Nations Pride, who arrives here off a ninth place in the G1 Pegasus Turf in Florida in January.
Charlie Appleby, who has won this race twice. Appleby also runs First Conquest, two from two at Meydan, the mount of Mickael Barzalona.
Cairo, trained in the UK by Alice Haynes, has enjoyed a profitable Carnival, finishing second in both the G2 Al Rashidiya and the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes.
Tuz will make UAE racing history if adding the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal (sponsored by Emirates.com) to his haul on Saturday - becoming the first horse to sweep the UAE's Group dirt sprints in one season.
Seemar's charge, who will break from stall five in the field of 12, has been flawless in his last four starts including the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen last March – his target once again.
Colour Up has seen the back of Tuz three times this season already, but Watson hasn't lost faith in Sayed Hashish's star sprinter, despite a below-par fifth in the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint two weeks ago.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, American Stage is an intriguing runner who brings a three from six win record with him from Japan, although none of his runs have come at Group level.
Japan, who were last successful on Super Saturday back in 2010 with Red Desire in the then Maktoum Challenge R3, are also represented in the G3 Burj Nahar (sponsored by Emirates Airline) with T O Saint Denis.
Daisuke Takayanagi's six-year-old had an international campaign last year, finishing ninth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile when last seen in November.
Another bringing top level form into the race is the Charlie Hills-trained Ancient Rome, third to Nations Pride in the G1 Arlington Million in August, who tries the dirt for the first time.
The G2 Dubai City of Gold (sponsored by Emirates Airline) is a proven path to the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and seven run for that entry ticket on Saturday.
Godolphin hold a strong hand, with three runners including multiple Group race winner Silver Knott, the mount of stable jockey William Buick, and G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Arabian Crown, who makes his Meydan debut for Appleby.
Three British raiders line up, including Highway Robber, an intriguing recruit from the US for Charlie Hills, and Onesmoothoperator, who drops in trip for Brian Ellison having finished third in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy last week.
The day's shortest turf contest is the 1000metre G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo) in which defending champion Frost At Dawn runs for trainer William Knight.
Among her rivals is fellow Brit West Acre, so impressive in the G2 Blue Point Sprint last time out for trainer George Scott.
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