Brian Meehan has confirmed that Dangerous Midge, the Breeders' Cup Turf winner, will line up in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on March 26.
Dangerous Midge has not raced since triumphing at Churchill Downs in November, a win that capped a season of great improvement. "We were always going to the big meeting in Dubai with him, but we've only just decided on the Sheema Classic," said the British trainer.
"We were confident going to America, and we want to repeat that process in Dubai. He's a true mile-and-a-half horse and the Sheema Classic is on turf, also.
"It's not that he won't act on Tapeta, and we can always have a go at the World Cup the following year."
Another handler hoping to be in Dubai in March is Richard Dutrow Jr, the American trainer, who will aim I Want Revenge, the former Kentucky Derby favourite, at the Dubai World Cup.
Dutrow has been a Dubai regular and famously scored a double on the world's richest racecard in 2008 when saddling Benny The Bull to victory in the Golden Shaheen and Diamond Stripes in the Godolphin Mile.
I Want Revenge finished fourth in the prestigious Group 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park eight days ago, having been off the track since August. It was the third start for the five-year-old since suffering a soft tissue injury in April 2009.
"I think he just ran like a horse we desperately needed to put a race into," Dutrow said. "We've put in a lot of work in trying to get him to races and I'm happy with him now. I think he'll be ready to run a huge one next time, and I'd like for it to be in Dubai, if they invite us."
Ed Dunlop, the British trainer, will be flying to Dubai for a short stay in the emirate this week to see Fareer run during the Meydan Masters meeting that starts on Thursday.
Dunlop is yet to decide if his globe-trotting mare Snow Fairy, who sealed a memorable 2010 with victories in the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Cup in Japan and the Hong Kong Cup in December, will run in Dubai this season.
"I think it is fair to say it is very unlikely that she will run in the Dubai Duty Free," Dunlop said. "She has been invited, and she's in the Dubai Sheema Classic and in the World Cup. We'll make a decision later in the month. A mare has never won the Dubai World Cup, so it might add something to her value were she to win it.
"As for Fareer, he experienced travel sickness when he went out to Dubai, which is partly the reason why he ran so poorly on his first start."
