Dubai: Saeed Bin Surour, who is bidding to win a fifth Group 3 Dubai Gold Cup in seven years with former runner-up Ahzeemah, faces a massive challenge as some of the world’s best stayers are lining up for the 3,200-metre contest, the longest race on Saturday’s World Cup card.

The six-year-old son of Dubawi has had two uneventful starts this year but Bin Surour maintains they will help him shake off the rust and have him spot on for the seventh running of the contest, which was added to the Dubai World Cup card in 2012.

“He disappointed us last time but will have come on for the run,” said Bin Surour, the long-serving Godolphin handler. “He needs to bounce back but worked very well last week, which is encouraging, and he is a nice horse.”

Ahzeemah missed last year’s renewal having chased stable companion Cavalryman home two years ago.

Godolphin will also be represented by Marzocco, who was fifth in last year’s St Leger at Doncaster, and is trained in England by John Gosden.

Subsequently gelded, he was a winner over the Dubai Gold Cup distance of 3,200 metres on the all-weather at Chelmsford.

“He stays well and should enjoy the likely quick ground,” said Gosden. “He pleased us at Chelmsford and seems in good form.”

But the horse that the Godolphin pair, and the other 12 runners, will have to contend with is accomplished stayer Brown Panther, who is part-owned and bred by ex-England footballer Michael Owen.

Trained by Tom Dascombe, a former assistant to South African handler Mike de Kock, Brown Panther has enjoyed several major successes, headed by a victory in the Group 1 Irish St Leger last year.

He will be ridden by Richard Kingscote, who was severely injured in the same fall at Wolverhampton last November that put Paul Hanagan out of action until the first night of the 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival in January.

“The thought of riding Brown Panther at Meydan on World Cup night was all the incentive I needed to get back in action as soon as possible,” he said.

“My elbow requires another operation but I will wait until the end of the turf season in Europe. We must have a big chance on Saturday.”

Other horses with leading claims are French challenger Bathyrhon and Dubday, the former Europe-based horse who has since been sold to Qatari interests, and where he has been unbeaten.

The mount of Frankie Dettori, he is trained by Jassim Al Ghazali, who said: “We are very excited about Dubday. He was very unlucky here last year and has been in great form this season.

“Hopefully he runs well on Saturday and we are hoping to take him to England with Glorious Goodwood in mind.”