Dubai: At 5am on Friday morning, the Dubai World Cup sprang to life. An enthusiastic team of Japanese handlers leapt from their cars to skip up the ramp to the Meydan racetrack, gazing in awe at the imposing presence of its huge grandstand.

Both the seasoned guys and the ones enjoying their first trip to Dubai, all are looking and sounding so happy to be here.

The equine athletes appear pretty happy too, all behaving as though they’ve been confined to barracks for two days, which, to comply with quarantine regulations, is precisely where they have been and you can imagine the unspent energy waiting to spring forth after a day or so of traveling followed by 48 hours jogging on a small circular track.

So like children, released early from school, they were all skittish and loving the chance to stretch their legs. Most cantered a steady couple of laps on the main track.

Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Vazirabad is prepping nicely in his quest to win three consecutive Dubai Gold Cups. He moves well over the surface like the statesman he is.

We caught a glimpse of Australia’s Music Magnate, who looked very professional as is his trainer Bjorn Borge with his social media publicity, nearly a must in 2018’s fast paced life style.

After a clear start to the morning’s track work, a dense fog quickly descended over Meydan making viewing not easy but all the same I finally got my first ‘in the flesh’ sighting of the Bob Baffert trainee West Coast, who is the clear favourite to win the Dubai World Cup in most international betting markets.

And what a substantial looking beast he is, though this cloak of power hides a calm and relaxed temperament, indeed he took his first view of the giant Meydan grandstand in his stride... or maybe the fog concealed it from him, whichever, we are all pleased he is here and it is a pleasure to watch his exercise rider [Dana Barnes] work with yet another world class horse in her quiet no-fuss way.

She knows a thing or two about World Cup winners: Dana was Arrogate’s exercise rider too.

— Jacquie Doyle is a former trainer and the mother of leading jockeys, James and Sophie Doyle.