Dubai: Godolphin have dominated the $1 million (Dh3.75 million) Godolphin Mile, with trainer Saeed Bin Surour winning this dirt race seven times, while Frankie Dettori has been on four of those winners.
However, the all-conquering Godolphin have of late been off the mark with their last win coming in 2004 with Firebreak. But Surour will certainly be looking at this etisalat-sponsored race, the second on the night's card, to get him back inside the winner's enclosure.
In Blackat Blackitten and Elusive Warning, Godolphin have one of their strongest bets on the night and it may be difficult to look beyond this duo for a winner.
Since coming from England, Blackat Blackitten has run here three times, winning twice and the four-year-old's only loss came at the hands of stablemate Elusive Warning. Godolphin's first jockey Dettori, who was on Blackat Blackitten on all three runs here has chosen the Inchinor colt ahead of Elusive Warning which could be a pointer to Pick Seven followers.
However, during the "Breakfast with Stars" event on Thursday, Dettori said: "I may have made the wrong choice, but Kerrin McEvoy gets on well with Elusive Warning."
The Australian deputy to Dettori will be on the four-year-old son of Elusive Quality, who has an impressive record of three victories from four starts.
"I hope to repeat my Super Thursday performance," said McEvoy, who won two races on what is considered a dress rehearsal of the big night.
The horse that could spoil Godolphin's party in this race is the American campaigner Diamond Stripes.
Edgar Prado, who rides Diamond Stripes, is confident the five-year-old will be in the running.
The Grade 2 winner has been placed in three Grade 1 races last year in the US, with Curlin and AP Arrow winning two of them and has the ability to snatch victory from the Godolphin pair.
The other American raider Barcola has its work cut out, having to tackle the field from stall 15.
However, trainer Mark Hennig said: "When you have a big run to the first turn like that it's not such a big deal. He's got plenty of speed to get himself into a decent position."
Baharah, from British trainer Gerard Butler's yard, is one which is likely to figure in the final frame. The four-year-old Elusive Quality filly has been a consistent performer with two wins, two seconds and one third-place finish in five starts.
"This is a bit different from winning at Kempton and Wolverhampton, but Jamie Spencer was impressed when he rode her on the Polytrack before we left, and, though she has it do on the ratings, she has an outside chance of sneaking a place," said Butler.
Erwan Charpy's duo of Rosberg and Golden Arrow maintain the local interest in this race, which also has Doug Watson's Green Coast and Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass' runners, Aleutian and Halkin in the fray.
