The defending champion Ushba Tesoro is back at Meydan to retain his crown and the Japanese contingent is gung-ho that the pride and joy of Japan will successfully lower the sword on his 11 rivals in the rich global racing spectacle, the Dubai World Cup at the iconic Meydan race course on Super Saturday. In the mega showpiece event there are five individual Group I winners including Senor Buscador, who edged the champion at the shadow of the winning post in a pulse-pounding finish in the Saudi Cup. Smarting in the defeat at the hands of his American rival at Saudi, the top fancy is looking to avenge his loss and settle the score at a venue he recorded the biggest win in his illustrious career. 

Trainer Noboru Takagi who is very bullish of Ushba Tesoro emulating Godolphin's Snow Thunder, the only one back-to-back winner of  top world event (2018-19) disclosed that the star global performer's shift to dirt racing has been remarkable. Two years ago we switched him to dirt from turf  and racing on the sand he has won eight of his 11 starts to become one of the best dirt horses in the world. The decision to run Ushba Tesoro on dirt has worked well. He was a trifle difficult horse to control when he was young, he has matured both physically and mentally,” said  Takagi while briefing the media after his impressive gallop in the morning trials back at Meydan this year. Drawn 5 at the post position draw on Wednesday,  Takagi revealed that the gate doesn’t matter for him as he will make his bid again  from behind. And that the top galloping goldmine has recovered well from the Saudi Cup and is in good form.The son of Orfevre is set to retire at the end of this year and a very confident Takagi is delighted with his form and the campaign he has drawn for the favourite quoted at (9/4) by the leading English bookmakers. .

Making no secret of his opinion and his plans, Takagi made it clear that Ushba Tesoro after the glamour and glitz Dubai extravaganza will compete in the Grade one Breeders Cup classic at Del Mar this autumn followed by the  Champions Cup in December, and his swansong will be the Grade one Tokyo Daishoten run over a distance of 2000 metres.  The Japanese superstar Yuga Kawada will once again guide the fortunes of Ushba Tesoro and he too endorsed the view of Takagi pointing out that the overwhelming favourite of the event will be ridden off the pace. 

Ushba Tesoro apart the super star from Kazakhstan, Kabirkhan has emerged the darling of the local United Emirates racing buffs. The handsome colt who made his presence felt against the best on the international circuit, catapulting to fame three months ago while detonating his rivals on his UAE debut before winning his first Group   one at Meydan and later beat a quality field in the Al Maktoum Challenge is in rousing form and the English bookmakers are of the view that Kabirkhan will be the one to watch in the premier high profile event taking into account that the impressive performer at Meydan is in great heart . The fact that he is being touted as one giant killer who has the ability to upset the applecart of the two top fancied contestants Ushba Tesoro and Senor Buscador has resulted in hundreds of Kabirkhan fans landing up to cheer the Kazakhstan star in what really is a litmus test for the quality performer. 

"I know he has to produce his best and perform at the optimum level for him to come out on top and I reckon he has the talent to do it," said trainer Doug Watson and Kabirkhan is ready  for the big test at a track he loves, the Meydan on Saturday.