Discreet Cat will face 15 in 2007 debut

Godolphin's unbeaten DISCREET CAT (Forestry), a smashing 3 1/4-length winner

of the Cigar Mile H. (G1) in his last appearance, will make his four-year-old

debut in Thursday's $200,000 Lahan Burj Nahaar S. (UAE-G3) at Nad al Sheba.

Breaking from post 9, the Saeed bin Suroor charge will meet 15 rivals as the

134-pound highweight in the about one-mile event.

Frankie Dettori, who guided Discreet Cat to his victory over eventual Horse

of the Year Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes) in last year's U.A.E. Derby (G2), will

be reunited with the six-for-six colt.

"This is a big day for him," Dettori said, "and it's the next step to the

Dubai World Cup meeting. It's not going to be easy with a seven-pound penalty,

which he has for winning a Group 1 race, but we've got to start somewhere. I see

him most days, and he has been training well."

Discreet Cat is scheduled to meet Invasor once again in the Dubai World Cup

(UAE-G1) on March 31.

THOR'S ECHO (Swiss Yodeler), who was named champion sprinter following his

victories in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and Frank J. Memorial Dash S. (G1)

last fall, will make his first start for new connections in Thursday's Marju Mahab al Shimaal (UAE-G3).

A field of 16 has been entered in the about six-furlong contest, and Thor's Echo

has drawn post 3 for new trainer Satish Seemar.

"He's acclimated well and has had an uninterrupted training schedule," Seemar

said, "and we'll find out a lot more about him on Thursday."

DAY PASS (Five Star Day), who improved to two-for-two with a 4 1/4-length

score in the Nashua S. (G3) last out, will make his sophomore debut in

Thursday's $150,000 Bahri Al Bastakiya. It will be his first start since being

sold to Godolphin.

"He looks like a nice horse, but this will be his biggest test on Thursday as

it looks a very competitive race," Dettori said.

Mike De Kock will send out the highly regarded ASIATIC BOY (Not for Sale), an

impressive winner of the U.A.E. Guineas (UAE-G3) most recently, against Day

Pass.

"He's right up there with some of the best I've trained, although he may have

a bit more speed," De Kock said of the Southern Hemisphere-bred four-year-old.

Thursday's card will offer $1.3 million in prize money, including the

$300,000 Elnadim Maktoum Challenge Round S. (UAE-G2) and $250,000 Haafhd Jebel

Hatta S. (UAE-G2).