Grand Emporium starts clear favourite

Grand Emporium, who makes his debut for new owner Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum in today's $ one million (Dh3.678 million) Godolphin Mile (Gr 2), is a clear pick.

The 5-year-old by National Assembly from trainer Mike de Kock's yard, who was bought on Thursday by Shaikh Rashid, has the best credentials in this 12-horse field.

Bred by Highands Farm Stud in South Africa, Grand Emporium has won six of his 10 career starts, including two Grade 1 races. De Kock, who will remain as his trainer for today's race, said "Grand Emporium is bursting out of his skin" on the eve of the race.

In the prep race on Super Saturday Grand Emporium just got beaten by World Cup runner Jack Sullivan but prior to that won over course and distance in the first leg of the Maktoum Challenge.

Grand Emporium will, however, have to tackle Godolphin's Qais, Satish Seemar's Little Jim and the German raider Martillo.

Qais will have to answer questions over his ability to stay the mile after his sizzling displays over seven furlongs. He has four of his six starts, but Frankie Dettori's hope has failed in both his attempts over the mile.

"I think a mile is fine for him though he has a lot of speed," said Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Surour.

Dettori said: "I feel he is more of a seven-furlong horse than a miler but he loves the dirt and could run a great race."

Godolphin, however, has a fabulous record in the race seven winners out of nine attempts with Firebreak winning the last two.

Germany's Martillo returns to Dubai after his fifth place in one of the most thrilling finishes in last year's DDF, when just a length separated the first six horses leaving Right Approach and Paolini in a dead heat.

However, the four-time Group 2 winner will be running on dirt for the first time and that could be a major test for the globetrotter.

Little Jim, the one-eyed Argentinean horse from Seemar's barn, who finished a close third in last year's UAE Derby (Gr 2) behind Lundy's Liability (a World Cup runner today) had a decent comeback in a mile's handicap, the first time he was unplaced.

However, that run was after a long lay-off and Seemar sounded confident, "Little Jim has come in a bit late, but he's got a good chance."

Italian trainer Julio Canani pins his hopes on Tsigane, a six-year-old with five wins and placed ten times.

"He is trying well. Hope he can get a clean trip and hopefully we will be able to get a good ticket."

Keltos, a Group One winner in Europe after his eighth place finish here in the 2002 Dubai World Cup (Gr 1) won by Street Cry, along with Main Al Kurdi's Cherry Pickings will have to come up with that extra effort in a race that looks to be in Grand Emporium's bag.