The veteran Heavy Metal, winner of this in 2017, has finished fourth for the past two seasons, the first time behind KIMBEAR, who also beat him a long way in a Group 2 in January when Secret Ambition failed by a short-head. There's very little between the latter pair with Doug Watson's charge just getting the nod. Ambassadorial was staying on over 1m2f last time so this could prove on the short side but Salute The Soldier, who was only caught in the closing stages of the Zabeel Mile, makes his debut on the surface. Axelrod is very much better than his form figures suggest though hasn't been seen since a fair effort in the Dubai World Cup last March.
Ambassadorial (USA) (9-6) 3rd of 12, 5 1/2l behind Parsimony (8-10) at Meydan 1m 2f hcp lst stks gd in Feb.
Secret Ambition (9-0) 2nd of 8, 7l behind Capezzano (9-0) at Meydan 1m Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Feb.
Blitzkrieg (USA) (9-0) 3rd of 9, 2l behind Waady (9-0) at Meydan 5f Grp 2 stks (1) gd in Feb.
Kimbear (USA) (9-0) 8th of 10, 17l behind Benbatl (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 2 gd in Feb.
Heavy Metal (9-0) last of 7, 37 1/4l behind Kimbear (9-0) at Meydan 1m Grp 2 gd in Jan.
Team Decision (IRE) (9-0) 2nd of 11, 1 1/2l behind Mark Of Approval (9-0) at Jebel Ali 1m 2f lst stks fst in Feb.
Salute The Soldier (GER) (9-0) 4th of 7, 3/4l behind Zakouski (9-0) at Meydan 1m Grp 2 stks (1) gd in Feb.
Taamol (IRE) (8-13) 3rd of 14, 4l behind Velorum (8-6) at Meydan 7f hcp gd in Feb.
All Out Blitz (USA) (9-2) 4th of 8, 7 1/4l behind Midnight Sands (9-2) at Meydan 7f hcp gd in Feb.
Axelrod (USA) 66-1 (9-0) 9th of 12, 7 3/4l behind Thunder Snow (9-0) at Meydan 1m 2f Grp 1 fst in Mar.
Moqarrar (USA) (8-6) won at Meydan 1m hcp gd in Feb beating Captain Von Trapp (8-8) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
Prodigal Son (USA) (8-8) 2nd of 9, 7 1/2l behind Bochart (9-3) at Meydan 6f hcp gd in Feb.
