Karis Teetan is hopeful Sing Dragon is “in with a shout” when he makes his overseas debut in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal (1200m, dirt) on Saturday night (28 February) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates at 11.25pm (HKT).

A five-time winner on Sha Tin’s dirt, Sing Dragon will step out on Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse in strong form after a second-place finish at Class 2 level in December, as well as an encouraging recent trial behind the brilliant Ka Ying Rising and undefeated rising star Salon S.

“I felt like his trial here behind Ka Ying Rising and that horse of Frankie Lor’s (Salon S), who has won three in a row, was good,” said jockey Teetan of the Chris So-trained galloper. “His form was good when he left Hong Kong.”

While Sing Dragon has experience travelling, making the shift to Hong Kong after five starts in Australia, it’s the six-year-old’s first time on the road as a Hong Kong-trained horse, and Teetan has received good reports from the stable.

“It was nice to hear that Chris is very happy with the horse’s condition and he has travelled well,” he said. “And he is very happy with how the horse is doing. It’s going to be a good experience, and if he can handle the track, I think he will be in with a shout.

“The rider who rides the horse in the morning said the horse looks like he is handling the track okay.”

Sing Dragon is considered an outsider for his first Group race test in a challenge featuring the Group 1-winning Tuz and the in-form El Nasseeb.

Tuz won the 2024 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m, dirt) at the course and distance and was last seen running third behind Dark Saffron in the 2025 edition of that same race, while El Nasseeb has won two of three starts this preparation and is in hot form.

“I’ve had a good look at the race and I’ve studied it. Tuz is a dirt specialist there and it is going to be interesting,” Teetan said.

Sing Dragon’s trip to Dubai has come somewhat out of the blue, with the son of Written Tycoon sitting on a rating of only 90 in Hong Kong after five wins from 23 starts in the city – four times over 1200m on the dirt and once at the extended mile.

The Mahab Al Shimaal will be the galloper’s first start for trainer So, after his owners – The Rotary Club of Gd-HK-MA-GBA Syndicate – switched stables recently, while it will also provide Teetan with the opportunity to experience a new jurisdiction.

“It’s my first time riding in Dubai. I’ve been on the track, and I’ve watched a couple of races on holiday there. It’s going to be awesome to ride there,” he said.

Four contests from Dubai’s Super Saturday fixture will be simulcast in Hong Kong, commencing with Sing Dragon’s G3 Mahab Al Shimaal (1200m, dirt) challenge, carded as S3-1 and scheduled for 11.25pm (HKT), where the galloper steps from barrier one.