Crowded House looks set to emerge in Dubai races

Despite finishing sixth to Sea the Stars in the Epsom Derby last year, the connections of Crowded House are aiming high with an entry in the World Cup.

He has not been seen on a race track since finishing sixth to Sea the Stars in the Epsom Derby last year, but connections of Crowded House are aiming high with a likely entry in the US$10 million (Dh36.7m) Dubai World Cup. The Brian Meehan-trained colt, who won the Group One Racing Post Trophy in 2008, will head to the UAE for the Dubai International Racing Carnival, and will also be entered for a number of other Dubai World Cup-day races.

Racing manager Jamie McCalmont, acting for part-owner Paul Reddam, said Crowded House had earned his ticket to Dubai after working well for jockey Jamie Spencer at Kempton. "He will now go to Dubai and we will see how he works on the Tapeta surface," said McCalmont. Crowded House, who missed both the Coral Eclipse at Sandown and the Champion Stakes in order to have a long lead-in to his Dubai campaign, is said to be in tremendous form.

He was eighth in the traditional Derby prep race - the Group Two Dante Stakes - before his sixth in the Derby. He also was the best-placed English trained runner in a race dominated by Ireland's three-year-olds. Stablemates City Leader and Cat Junior will join him in Dubai. Runners from Robert Cowell's yard will make the trip to the Emirates on Sunday, while the trainer will jet back and forth between Dubai and his commitments in England.

Absolute Music, Emerald Wilderness and Prohibit will all race in the first Carnival meeting at the Meydan meeting on January 28. Cowell plans to give Absolute Music, placed in two Group Three outings, a run in the UAE 1,000 Guineas if she acquits herself well in earlier races. While Emerald Wilderness will look at races over a distance 1m1f and possibly even further.