World Cup prospects: Asiatic Boy back to best

DUBAI - After a cracking evening at Nad Al Sheba last Thursday, when “Super Thursday'' really lived up to the billing, the UAE's flagship racecourse lies dormant this week as it awaits its last hurrah on World Cup night in just over two weeks time.

Then the bulldozers move in and next season we will be racing on the new Meydan course. Those to stamp their World Cup night claims last week were highlighted by Mike De Kock's Asiatic Boy who won the concluding Maktoum Challenge III, over the same course and distance as the world's richest horse race, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, in good style – answering his critics in the process to the delight of the trainer.

A bubbling De Kock said: “We warned everyone last time he would need the run and that he was being trained to peak at the end of March – and that remains the case.''

Stable companions Front House, who won well, Honour Devil, Art of War, Russian Sage and King of Rome, as well as perhaps Imbongi and Macarthur, surely secured berths on the big night.

Other eye-catching performances came in defeat for Quijano, Valal Frontier, Big City Man, Vodka and Diabolical (with many saying the ride given to Vodka was diabolical), with wins for Gayego and Balius both certain to have been good enough.

Frankie pitches up at Jebel ali sprint

With no more Nad Al Sheba meetings until World Cup Day, we still have the Jebel Ali Sprint to look forward to tomorrow. Mike De Kock won it last year for South Africa and his Warsaw will be a big danger to all this time round, with Frankie Dettori, making his once-a-year visit to the course, riding stable companion Frosty Secret.

Dhruba Selvaratnam's Alo Pura, Herman Brown's Lipocco and Erwan Charpy's Tawaassol could be the main dangers in the track's final Listed race of their season which concludes next Friday.