Dubai: The famous green and red racing silks of the Aga Khan, one of the world's most prolific racehorse owners, will grace the winners' enclosure at Meydan racecourse tonight should Zabarajad live up to expections and win the $110,000 (Dh404,000) Saeed and Mohammad Al Naboodah Group Handicap, the feature event of today's fifth Carnival meeting.
A lightly-raced four-year-old by the Irish National Stud's star stallion Invincible Spirit, Zabarajad appears to have the credentials to see off his 13 rivals and give his owner a first success in Dubai this season.
Despite being handed a wide draw, the John Oxx-trained traveller is expected to run a big race under top Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, who rode an absolute blinder to secure a maiden win for the gelding at Gowran Park last July.
Godolphin's Bridgefield and James Fanshawe's Primaeval look to be the main threats. The former, who was beaten a length and a half by City Style on his last start, is favourably rated in the weights and should run well for talented French jockey Mickael Barzalona, while Primaeval is certainly no slouch on the all-weather, a surface on which he has recorded four of his five wins.
Fanshawe's wife Jacko, who is currently in Dubai, reported that the horse was thriving and ready for action.
"When we arrived on Monday it looked as if the travelling had taken its toll and he looked a bit light and dull," she wrote in her diary on their website.
"Since then he has looked better everyday. He didn't eat very well for a few days after he arrived here but is back into his food and eating well now.
"He is also moving well on the surface as he isn't the best of movers at home. He trots much better out here."
Other notables in the race include Saeed Bin Surour's Global City and Dhruba Selvaratnam's dual Meydan scorer Canwinn.
In the mix
On his last start in England Global City finished a close third at Lingfield in the Listed Golden Rose Stakes and should be in the mix.
The race certainly has depth and all sorts of possibilites with Doug Watson's Famous Warrior and Musabah Al Muhairi's Russian Rock also worth keeping an eye on.
Today's card also features a tidy looking 90-102 handicap on turf which has attracted a field of 12.
Although Al Muhairi's Firestreak catches the eye he is unproven over a mile while Watson's Marching Time drops back in trip following his third-place effort over 1,950 metres on his last start.
Julia Feilden's Spirit Of Sharjah could make the most of his weight advantage under Tadhg O'Shea while Kieren Fallon and Krypton Factor cannot be overlooked.
Earlier in the evening, Watson could add to his Carnival tally should Daboos run his race in the SMKA-MK by Honeywell Handicap over 1,400 metres on the all-weather.
