Dubai: Team Godolphin will be determined to exorcise the ghosts of what was an uncharacteristically disappointing Dubai World Cup meeting when Very Talented bids to live up to his name in the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket, England on Thursday afternoon.

The progressive son of Invincible Spirit was last seen posting an easy victory in a mile maiden at Doncaster in September and has been prepared over the winter with this target in mind.

Trained by long-serving Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour, who seeks out a career-first victory in the race which is regarded as a useful trial for the English 2,000 (G1) Guineas, Very Talented faces five rivals including the John Gosden-trained Foundation, Ed Walker’s Story Antarctic and the Aidan O’Brien entry Shogun.

Bin Surour is still hurting from suffering a luckless campaign at the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 26, but sounded quietly optimistic of his charge’s chances in the Newmarket trail.

“Very Talented is coming along nicely. I was happy with his latest piece of work and he is ready to go,” the Emirati told the Godolphin website. “This is a tough race, but Very Talented is in good form and I am hoping for a good run.”

Godolphin pilot James Doyle takes the ride.

The most recent horse to win the Craven and go on to the bag the 2,000 Guineas was Haafhd in 2004.

Foundation, who suffered his only defeat in three starts when third in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last October, looks the one to beat.

“We’re looking forward to running him and he seems very well,” said Gosden, of the Epsom Derby fourth favourite.

“He’s built up through the winter and has been working nicely, but it’s still early days and he hasn’t been pushed too hard so far.

“I’ve said for a while I think he will possibly be at his best over a mile and a quarter, but let’s wait and see.

“He gives me all the signs he’ll be happiest at a mile and a quarter, but we’ll start him off over a mile, he’s a course-and-distance winner and we’ll see how he goes.”

Charlie Appleby’s impressive Meydan scorer Baccarat takes his chances in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes.

The seven-year-old swept aside a 495-day absence to register a decisive win over a strong international field in a turf handicap over the same distance on February 25 in the UAE.

It was his first start since leaving Richard Fahey’s stable at the end of last season to join Godolphin.

“We were delighted with Baccarat’s run out in Dubai and he has shipped back in good form,” Appleby told the Godolphin website.

“His win at Meydan wasn’t surprising because his work beforehand had been so good. He had been working with Safety Check and Jungle Cat, so we were confident that he would be competitive.

Meanwhile, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, saw his colours carried to victory by William Buick aboard Sutter Country in Wednesday’s Novice Stakes, while Pat Smullen delivered a confident ride aboard the Dr Ali Redha-owned Gifted Master to land the Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Sprint.