Little Mike targets Round 3 Maktoum Challenge

Little Mike and Dullahan left America yesterday bound for Dubai where they are set to run at Meydan Racecourse next week.

The US stars were reportedly put through their final paces together in Florida on Tuesday and the pair worked over five furlongs in 58.93 seconds.

They are set to arrive tomorrow with Little Mike appearing to have Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge firmly in his sights.

The Breeders' Cup Turf hero would be perfectly suited to the Dubai Sheema Classic, which like the Santa Anita race is run over 12 furlongs, but his trainer Dale Romans hopes to see whether his charge can handle Meydan's Tapeta surface.

"I am led to believe that Little Mike might run in the Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge with a view to running in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup," Martin Talty, the Dubai Racing Club's international manager, said.

Romans, who won the World Cup with Roses In May in 2005, stated last week that he does not want his two shippers to run in the same race next week, which would leave Dullahan to contest the Burj Nahar over a mile.

Dullahan's finest hour came in August when he won the Pacific Classic from Game On Dude, who will lay down the gauntlet to his fellow World Cup contenders when he takes on Ron The Greek and Richard's Kid in the Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday.

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