Dubai home team appears loaded

The international challenge for the 2009 Dubai International Racing Carnival

may be the strongest ever assembled, but they might not get it all their own way

as the home defense appears to be one of the more powerful ever seen.

As always, Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has a powerful string at his

disposal which includes some very exciting young recruits such as MIDSHIPMAN

(Unbridled's Song) and VINEYARD HAVEN (Lido Palace [Chi]), who will be aimed at

the American classics.

Supported by a team of older, seasoned campaigners and handicappers, they

will merit respect throughout the $31 million carnival.

New trainers Munarak Bin Shafya and Abdulla Bin Huzaim will be looking to

open their Carnival accounts with the former training horses such as HAPPY BOY

(Ski Champ) and DIJEERR (Danzig), while Bin Huzaim has Dieerr's full brother

PLAVIUS.

Ismail Mohammed, leading trainer at the 2007 Carnival, is also back this

year.

Champion trainer Doug Watson and former champion Ewan Charpy look to have the

strongest teams elsewhere with Watson's FORCE FREEZE (Forest Camp) and GREEN

COAST (Green Desert) being two who have already demonstrated their well-being

this season.

Joined by a plethora of high-profile new recruits such as BARBECUE EDDIE

(Stormy Atlantic), MERCHANT MARINE (Tiznow), CLASSIC BLADE (Daggers Drawn),

WORLD RULER (Dansili [GB]), WEALD (Bering [GB]), PALLODIO (Medecis [GB]),

SHOPTON LANE (Quiet American), PRINCE SHAUN (Acclamation) and MASAALEK (Green

Desert), Watson is looking forward to the Carnival.

"We have a lot fewer domestic season horses this year and the Carnival has

been the focus," he said. "We have a really nice team thanks to His Highness

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the other owners, like Malih Al Basti,

and I am very grateful. Hopefully we can get among the winners."

Charpy, meanwhile, has a very powerful team at his disposal, and GRANTLEY

ADAMS (Dansili [GB]), EMIRATES GOLD (Royal Applause [GB]) and RAMPALLION (Daylami

[Ire]) have all won stakes in the first part of the season to advertise their

claims.

Carnival regulars SINGING POET (Singspiel [Ire]), GOLDEN ARROW (Ire)

(Danehill) and MUNADDAM (Aljabr) are joined by exciting horses such as TAJDEEF (Aljabr),

HELLO MORNING (Poliglote [GB]) and TASTEYVILLE (With Approval), and the

Frenchman is quietly optimistic.

"We have some nice horses certainly but Carnival races are never easy to win

as we all know," Charpy said.

Dhruba Selvaratnam is able to welcome back stable stalwarts SEIHALO (Alzao)

and MARBUSH (Linamix) this year after injury, while Ali Rashid Al Raihe has made

a tremendous start to the season and will be looking to continue in the same

vein.