$6m is at stake

Dubai: After years of virtually being an onlooker, Irish wizard Aidan O'Brien has launched a concerted attack on the lucrative prize money on offer in Dubai.

Besides having outstanding chances in the World Cup and the UAE Derby, he has two runners with high credentials in the $6 million (Dh22.03 million) Dubai Sheema Classic in St Nicholas Abbey and Treasure Beach. St Nicholas Abbey proved himself to be a top two-year-old in England in 2009 but he has a chequered career since. After being installed as the favourite for The Derby he began encountering problems and was forced onto the sidelines for almost 12 months.

However, O'Brien brought him back to racing at the elite level with victories in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs. Although he will be making his first start in nearly five months, the distance should hold no fears for St Nicholas Abbey, who will be partnered by O'Brien's son Joseph, who won the Breeders' Cup Turf on the entire.

Jockey Jamie Spencer will be aboard the four-year-old Treasure Beach, who displayed outstanding form last year. He was beaten a head Pour Moi in the English Derby then went on to capture the Irish Derby as well as the Secretariat at Arlington Park.

He showed that travelling does not worry him when finishing third in the prestigious Canadian International [2,400m].

The logical threat to the O'Brien pair is France's Cirrus Des Aigles who is trained by Corine Barande-Barbe at Chantilly. A consistent type he has a triumph to his credit over the O'Brien star So You Think in the Champion Stakes [2,000m] at Ascot in October.

A winner of 13 races from 40 starts, his successes include a runaway 10 length victory in the Group 2 Grand Prix at Deauville [2,400m] so he goes into the race with a lot to recommend him. South African Mike De Kock who won the event with Sun Classique in 2008 will be about the money again the Bold Silvano and Mahbooba.

Bold Silvano is on the comeback trail after sustaining an injury and is ready to improve following two starts from a spell. The third-placed finisher in last year's UAE Derby Mahbooba has blossomed since with a 2,400m victory at Newmarket in September and successes at two of his last three starts at Meydan.