Dubai: Godolphin handlers Saeed Bin Surour and Charlie Appleby look to hold strong hands in both the Classics that give an added emphasis to today’s sixth Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting at Meydan Racecourse.

Veteran handler Bin Surour won both the UAE 1000 (Listed) and UAE 2000 (G3) Guineas last season with Local Time and Maftool respectively and bids to reprise the feat on a cracking seven-race card.

The Emirati handler relies on Steady Pace who squares off with Appleby’s Rouleau in the colt’s Classic which has attracted some interesting contenders from France, England and Norway.

Only a nose separated the Godolphin pair in the trial run over a furlong less on January 14 and Bin Surour commented: “Steady Pace won well in the UAE 2000 Guineas trial and came out of that race in good order.

“He has been working well and is ready to go again. A mile will be no problem and it would be a great result to win the UAE 2000 Guineas again.

“This is a colt I have always regarded highly. He was third in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, and late in the English season he finished third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. He is very consistent. I am happy with him,” added Bin Surour who is looking for a sixth 2000 Guineas victory.

Appleby, who won the race in 2014 with Long John said: “Rouleau produced a pleasing effort in the trial for this race, when he was conceding a 2lb penalty to Steady Pace.

“He showed that he handled dirt and looked as though the step up to a mile would suit him.”

Niels Petersen’s runners have been knocking at the door and Busy Earning, a winner on both dirt and turf in his native Norway, deserves respect as does the Francois Rohaut-trained Qurbaan, who is unbeaten in two starts on the polytracks at Deauville and Chantilly in France.

Simon Dow, who is based in Epsom, sends out his first UAE runner in Hombre Rojo, a winner of his three most recent starts while Newmarket-handler Marco Botti relies on Lazzam who has been a consistent performer on the all-weather tracks in England.

The meeting opens with the UAE 1000 Guineas which will be contested by an elite field of five led by the Doug Watson-trained Polar Rive, who was a hugely impressive winner of the trial last month.

“I would be very surprised if she gets beaten to be honest,” said Pat Dobbs of the filly who hammered her rivals on that occasion. “Her attitude is good and she’s straight forward in every way. She has a really good turn of foot and a high cruising speed.

“She is in great form and we are really looking forward to running her again,” added Watson.

Godolphin is also doubly represented in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas Sponsored By Friday (19.00 hrs local time), run over the same course and distance as the UAE 2000 Guineas are represented by the Bin Surour pair of Promising Run and Dubai Fashion.

The handler said: “Promising Run is a nice filly and she needed her first run of the season.

“This looks like a tough race but she has a chance of running well.

“Dubai Fashion won her maiden nicely and then finished fifth a Listed race on turf at Newmarket. I have been pleased with her work and a mile will suit her.”

GN Selections

Race Horse

1) 1. Polar River; 2. Promising Run.

2) 1. Alareef; 2. Dornoch.

3) 1. Start Time; 2. Calder Prince.

4) 1. Reynaldothewizard; 2. Let’sgoforit.

5) 1. Quarterback; 2. Liquid Mercury.

6) 1. Steady Pace; 2. Rouleau.

7) 1. Musaddas; 2. Tandem.

Day’s Best: Steady Pace.