Unfortunately, I can’t be at the Dubai World Cup meeting this year. It looks like another exciting card, though, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on the action.

S3-1: G2 Godolphin Mile

COMMISSIONER KING won the trial for this. He’s drawn in one and is probably going to have to go forward and go hard from there. On all known form, he’s the right favourite, but the inside gate isn’t ideal. That would be the only slight negative.

S3-2: G2 Dubai Gold Cup

If AL RIFFA runs up to his best, which he usually does, he should be hard to beat. He’s a consistent horse who ran well in the Hong Kong Vase and the Melbourne Cup, while he was an impressive winner of the Irish St Leger. He sets a high standard.

SONS AND LOVERS is an improving horse who won well in Saudi and arrives here in good form. He should also run well.

S3-3: G2 UAE Derby

No strong opinion in this race as I don’t know anything in the field that well.

I did think SIX SPEED looked quite good when he won on debut, though, so he could be one to note, while SALLOOM was also impressive when winning his maiden.

PYROMANCER comes here off the back of winning a trial that’s produced winners of this race before, but I don’t have a strong view.

S3-4: G1 Al Quoz Sprint

LAZZAT and REEF RUNNER will do battle again after their first and second in the 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi. The slightly shorter trip and straight track might just favour LAZZAT here.

Outside of those two, who look the obvious ones, RAYEVKA is probably better than she showed in her previous run in the trial for this.

The trial was won by NATIVE APPROACH, who’s now drawn on the outside and will probably go hard from the off.

It’s hard to know how the draw might impact the race at the moment given the amount of rain around, and we won’t be able to determine that until race time.

S3-5: G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen

The obvious one here is BENTORNATO, who won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He’s drawn low in two, which might not be ideal, but that shouldn’t be a problem as he’s a very forward-going horse. He’ll look to lead throughout and try to stay there. If he handles the track and he doesn’t go too hard too early, he should win.

TUZ has won this race before and will also look to go forward from his draw in eight. He’ll look to make life difficult for BENTORNATO.

MUFASA could be one that runs well at a bigger price. If those two go a bit too hard, then I could see him running over the top of them late.

S3-6: G1 Dubai Turf

OMBUDSMAN has a massive class edge in this race. He’s got over 10lbs in hand and is a high-class horse, while the Gosdens knows what it takes to win this race. He can get out well from a nice middle draw, settle up with the pace and keep it uncomplicated. He’s a straightforward horse and will be very hard to beat.

GAIA FORCE is probably the second best on form. He has some good runs behind some of Japan’s best milers, but he’s an older horse now and even his peak form wouldn’t be enough to trouble OMBUDSMAN.

QUDDWAH’s a horse I know having won the trial and he clearly likes it in Dubai. He won over course and distance last time and should give it his best shot, while FACTEUR CHEVAL is a previous winner of this race who could get some prize money again.

S3-7: G1 Dubai Sheema Classic

Like OMBUDSMAN in the Turf, CALANDAGAN has a big class edge here. He’s got a couple to beat in the shape of a Hong Kong Vase winner, GIAVELLOTTO, and a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, ETHICAL DIAMOND, but CALANDAGAN should beat those on his best form.

It could be a bit of a messy race, though, as there isn’t any obvious pace. CALANDAGAN should win, but he’ll want a bit of pace to aim at.

S3-8: G1 Dubai World Cup

FOREVER YOUNG has been a brilliant horse. He’s won all over the world, including in Dubai, but he was beat in this race last year by HIT SHOW. He’s got 10lbs in hand on ratings and should be winning from his draw in six, and unlike last year there doesn’t look to be a great deal of pace in the race.

Last year, they went hard and that suited HIT SHOW, but it doesn’t look like panning out like that again on paper.

TUMBARUMBA ran well in the Saudi Cup, so has to be respected, while WALK OF STARS gives his best at Meydan so deserves another crack at this, as does HEART OF HONOUR.

MEYDAAN was an impressive winner of the trial and could be open to a bit more improvement, so you can’t write him off.

MAGNITUDE has solid credentials too but probably doesn’t have the class to beat FOREVER YOUNG.

The question is whether you want to be taking a short price about a horse that got beat in the race last year. He’s a top-class horse but this track doesn’t always suit every horse.