McLaughlin looks to crown his homecoming

Dubai: Kiaran McLaughlin, formerly one of the dominant forces in UAE racing, is back on a retrieval mission.

The Kentucky native, who returned to the United States in 2003 after having won four UAE championships during a successful 10-year term in Dubai, is targeting two races that he did not win, at tomorrow's Dubai World Cup meeting.

McLaughlin saddles Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Invasor in the $2million UAE Derby and Mustanfar in the $5million Dubai Sheema Classic.

"I feel like I'm back home," he said yesterday after working his runners on the dirt track at Nad Al Sheba.

McLaughlin won the prestigious trainer's championship in 1995, '96, '97 and '03 and also made a splash at the World Cup meeting. He won the $1million Godolphin Mile in 1995 with Lost Soldier, the $5million Dubai Duty Free the next year with Key Of Luck and the $2million Dubai Golden Shaheen in 1997 with Atraf.

Key Of Luck was also fourth to Singspiel in the second running of the $6million Dubai World Cup in 1997.

Both Invasor and Mustanfar are owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry.

Although Mustanfar is the more accomplished of McLaughlin's pair in terms of success at the top level, McLaughlin said he feels a bit more hopeful about the chances of Invasor.

"He's done everything right and he's trained very well," he said, adding that the Argentine-bred colt has outworked all the horses in his stable including Kentucky Derby hopeful Flashy Bull.

"We actually think we have a better shot to run well in this race than with Mustanfar," McLaughlin said.

"The Sheema could be the toughest race on the programme. But we're hopeful and we'll see what happens."

Mustanfar, a five-year-old by Unbridled bred by Shaikh Hamdan, has returned from a long lay-off last year as a bigger, stronger horse.

"He's running better than ever and he looks better than ever," McLaughlin said.

Richard Hills will ride both horses.

Kiaran McLaughlin currently trains many of the West Point Thoroughbred horses in New York and on the East Coast.

Last year, he sent out Closing Argument to finish a close second to Giacomo in the Kentucky Derby.