Dubai: Twelve months ago, despite running one of his best races, the Doug Watson-trained Meandre finished in arrears to Military Attack in the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup.

Next Saturday, the former UAE champion trainer will be hoping that new recruit Limario can compensate for that result and put it across the reigning champion and a host of high-class middle distance specialists in the 2014 renewal of the 2000m contest at Kranji racecourse.

Watson’s trainee is scheduled to take a seven-hour flight on Thursday from Dubai International Airport to Singapore, where he will arrive at 5.25pm UAE time.

He will then be housed at the Singapore Turf Club’s quarantine stables in Kranji racecourse to begin his preparations for the big race.

Limario, who is jointly owned by Russian billionaire Valentin Bukhtoyarov and journalist Evgeny Kappushev, raced twice during the Dubai World Cup Carnival. He finished 9th behind Godolphin’s Prince Bishop on his Meydan debut in the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) before producing a better show to take 6th place behind South African Horse of the Year in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night.

A German bred by Areion, Limaro won the Grosser Preis Des Audi Zentrums Hannover (G3) at Hanover last August, before he was transferred to Watson’s Red Stables in the first week of March.

Watson has described Limario as a “lovely horse” with a mile and a quarter being his preferred distance.

He will be up against some top class rivals including two previous winners of the Singapore Airlines International Cup, the John Moore-trained Military Attack and Charlie Fownes’ Lucky Nine, both Hong Kong challengers.

Moore has also entered 2013 runner-up DAN EXCEL, who finished a good third in last Sunday’s Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Australian-born but English-based Chapple-Hyam takes aim with Mull Of Killough, who finished fifth in the race last year.

Japan send out Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup runner-up, the Hisashi Shimizu-trained Tokei Halo, who is their first Singapore Airlines International Cup runner in the last five years.

The United States return to challenge after a gap of nine years, with the Darrell Vienna-trained Si Sage, a three-time winner in France who has since been based in America.

Two other marquee names lining up on Saturday are Andrew Balding’s Side Glance, who has finished fourth in back-to-back Dubai World Cup’s behind Animal Kingdom and African Story, and Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt scorer Smoking Gun.