The fifth meeting of the Meydan Carnival on Thursday looks the best to date featuring the return to action of Godolphin’s African Story, last seen when winning the 2014 Dubai World Cup on the Meydan Tapeta.

This will be his first outing on the new dirt surface and he is one of three runners in the 1,900m Group 2 middle round of the Al Maktoum Challenge for trainer Saeed bin Suroor who has already won the race on 10 occasions.

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Of his previous winners of this race, Moon Ballad went on to win that year’s Dubai World Cup. 

African Story was second in this race a year ago, behind stable companion Prince Bishop. Emirates Flyer is the trainer’s third runner.

The 1,600m first round of the Challenge, four weeks ago on the opening night of the Carnival, was won by Surfer, trained by Satish Seemar and second in this race two years ago. 

He has won both his starts this season on the new surface and jockey Richard Mullen said: “He was very good on the old surface but seems to be even better on the dirt. This is a better race than he has won the last twice but the extra trip is certainly not a negative and he should run well.”

A Group One winner in his native Argentina, the Doug Watson-trained Cooptado is another proven on the surface.

Watson said: “We are really looking forward to testing him in this company. He was very game winning first time and this was always the next target.”

The Group One Purebred Arabian version, over 2,200m, has attracted a field of 10 with the Majed Al Jahouri-trained Raaziq looking to bounce back after a couple of disappointing efforts.

He was fourth in last year’s Kahayla Classic on World Cup night and a repeat of that effort would make him very hard to beat here. Silvestre De Sousa rides.

If he again fails to fire, Callateral, one of three in the race for trainer Salem Al Ketbi, looks the most likely to benefit under Tadhg O’Shea. 

Only six have been declared for the Listed UAE 1,000 Guineas, over 1,600m on dirt. Yodelling, trained by Charlie Appleby, won both her starts in England and is making her local debut under William Buick.

The Bin Suroor-trained Local Time won the 1,400m trial, beating the Mike De Kock-trained Ad Idem in a photo-finish. The pair clash again. 

The action then moves to Jebel Ali on Friday, where the feature is a 1,950m conditions race for which only five have been declared. All know there is no such thing as a ‘dead cert’ but Silver Galaxy will be very hard to beat. 

Trained by Musabah Al Muhairi, he has won twice at the course this season before producing a career best effort last time with an excellent third in the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes, over the same 1,950m course and distance. 

Should he fail to fire, stable companion Tanfeeth could be the one to benefit although Paul Hanagan, retained jockey for the owner Sheikh Hamdan, chooses to ride the Doug Watson-trained Jalaa.

Satish Seemar saddles Inthar, making his dirt debut. 

The mount of Mullen, he has been well beaten in all three starts this season but will not be lacking for stamina.