Leading USA handler Doug O'Neill has eleven horses for the carnival with Prodigal Son spearheading the challenge. Three-times a winner in eleven starts, he runs a straight 5f for the first time and comes off the back of a victory at Santa Anita late last month. Caspian Prince has had 14 starts here, winning once in 2015, and made a bold bid to double his tally here three weeks ago though couldn't quite concede 8lb to Almanaara with the favourite A Momentofmadness, who raced wide of the field, 2 lengths behind. It wouldn't be a shock to see the latter, who was having his first start here, reverse the form. EQUILATERAL's best run last summer came in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket when beaten a neck by Mabs Cross. A Listed winner at Doncaster in September, he's the type to win good races here starting with this. Waady couldn't cope with Gladiator King in a 6f Group 3 on Dirt earlier this month and may find a few of these too quick, a remark that also applies to Rusumaat, Abrantes and Neverland Rock.
Rusumaat (IRE) (9-0) 6th of 8, 17 1/2l behind Ibn Malik (9-0) at Meydan 6f lst stks fst in Dec.
Abrantes (SPA) (8-9) last of 8, 18l behind Ekhtiyaar (9-6) at Meydan 6f hcp gd in Jan.
Caspian Prince (IRE) (9-3) 2nd of 12, 1 3/4l behind Almanaara (8-9) at Meydan 5f hcp gd in Jan.
Prodigal Son (USA) 10-1 (8-10) 3wd into str,rallied, won at Santa Anita 5f gd in Dec beating Torosay (8-10) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Neverland Rock (8-6) 5th of 8, 4 1/4l behind Ekhtiyaar (9-6) at Meydan 6f hcp gd in Jan.
Equilateral 7-2 (9-1) Held up, headway over 2f out, never threatened, 6th of 8, 6 1/2l behind Maid In India (8-12) at Newbury 5f Grp 3 stks (1) gf in Sep.
Waady (IRE) (9-1) 4th of 9, 4 1/4l behind Gladiator King (9-1) at Meydan 6f Grp 3 stks gd in Jan.
A Momentofmadness (9-0) 7th of 12, 3 1/2l behind Almanaara (8-9) at Meydan 5f hcp gd in Jan.
