1

Land Of Legend

Lightly campaigned but looked increasingly smart in the UK last year, including three straight wins. Made a terrific Meydan debut from a wide gate, only just beaten in that handicap last month. Fanciable.

2

Fanaar

Third of 28 in a Royal Ascot handicap last June, especially good considering he was hampered at the start. He has won on an all-weather surface in the UK and now makes his Meydan debut, switching to local trainer Doug Watson.

3

Epic Hero

Lightly raced but has run really well in two Meydan handicaps this year, almost winning over this distance and then when a close third after racing a little too keenly early.

4

Corsen

Had some decent form when trained in France by Andre Fabre and responded well to some urgency from his rider when winning over this trip at Clairefontaine last August. First Meydan start now.

5

Dubai Legacy

Closed down last season in the UK with quite a stylish Newmarket win. Ran quite well on last month’s Meydan debut, but despite his pedigree suggesting he’d thrive on dirt, ran a dismal race on it last month.

6

Arab Spring

Has left Sir Michael Stoute’s powerful UK stable and his new trainer has brought this talented horse – who has won twice at G3 level – sharply down in trip for this Meydan debut.

7

Wait Forever

This looks his ideal distance and he ran a smart third over it on his Meydan debut last month. However he didn’t seem to show quite the same spark on a subsequent run.

8

Above N Beyond

Has a better record coming second or third than he does at winning. Ran a good third – especially as he had to travel wide – here two starts back but was bitterly disappointing last time.

9

Lyndon B

Came late to win a Sandown handicap last August and did look as though he might be starting to thrive at Meydan when finishing nicely into fifth here earlier this month.

10

Bay Of Poets

Has finished 11th in his last two Meydan starts and it is easy to conclude that he is still on a difficult handicap mark. It seems a long time ago that he finished second to top class Benbatl in a G2 here.

11

Laieth

Made most of the running to win a handicap over this distance at Newmarket last May. Mixed messages from his three Meydan starts this year but nothing wrong with his close second over 1400m last time when some rivals got better trips.

12

Tashweeq

Landed a shock win off a 702 day break on his first start for this trainer with an easy victory in a 1400m handicap here in January. Didn’t regress off that big performance when a close third – after starting slowly – here this month.

13

One Flew South

Looked hard to train in his US career but did show plenty of gate speed on occasions. On his Meydan debut over 1400m he ran a fair race without ever making a serious threat.

14

Marhaban

Narrowly won two minor races on the all-weather in the UK early last year. Has seemed gradually progressive since and made a fair start in Meydan last month. Mickael Barzalona takes over today.

15

Edaraat

His two wins for a top stable in the UK both came over this distance. Tried 2000m for the first time on his Meydan debut and the ploy failed dismally as he faded to finish a remote last of 15.