Frankie Dettori has his first ever ride in the Group 1 Kahayla Classic, the 2000m Tapeta equivalent of the World Cup and the traditional curtain raiser on the big night.
He rides last year’s winner, Al Mamun Monlau, in what looks a very strong renewal and in which owner Sheikh Mansour and trainer Majed Al Jahouri seek to complete a clean sweep of this season’s UAE Group 1 races – having combined to win the first seven of the campaign.
Rabbah De Carrere, whose dam, Mizzna, and grandam, Alanudd, all won this race, looks their best hope.
Al Jahouri said: “It has been a great season and, obviously, we would love to make it eight from eight in Group 1s but this is the toughest one to win.”
The Mike De Kock-trained Soft Falling Rain then bids to defend his crown in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile with Godolphin’s Shuruq appearing his main danger.
De Kock said: “We had an awful draw last year but have a good one this time. He needed his return on Super Saturday and should go well.
Then, 35 minutes later, Cavalryman, like Shuruq is trained by Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin, attempts to become the first dual winner of the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, at 3200m on turf, the longest race of the day.
The UAE Derby poses something of a conundrum but Godolphin’s UAE 2000 Guineas winner, the Charlie Appleby-trained Long John, will be hard to beat if staying the 1900m trip.
Winner of last year’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in his native Australia, he impressed winning the 1600m UAE 2000 Guineas on his local debut.
Ireland’s Champion Trainer, Aidan O’Brien, has provided the winner of this in each of the last two seasons and saddles two this year with Giovanni Boldini, the mount of Ryan Moore, looking his best hope.
