Saeed bin Suroor and Mike de Kock are both one winner away from securing a milestone at the third meeting of the Dubai International Carnival tonight.
Godolphin's Bin Suroor, the most successful Carnival trainer, is seeking his 100th winner at the annual racing extravaganza, while South African de Kock, second to bin Suroor in the Carnival statistics, is on 99 UAE winners.
They both have leading contenders in the featured 1800m Al Rashidiya, a Group 2 contest on turf over the same course and distance as the Group One Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup day.
Bin Suroor, who won the race last year with Alexandros, has already saddled the big race winners on the first two nights of the Carnival and relies on Caymans, a Group 2 winner in his native Australia but well beaten on his one start in the UK.
"He did disappoint in England but that was on very heavy ground and the Meydan surface will be much more to his liking," bin Suroor said. "He is in good form and I am hopeful."
De Kock has a good record in the race and is looking for his fourth win. He saddles Irish Flame, the South African Horse of the Year.
"The horse is in great form but has to concede weight over a trip short of his best," de Kock said. "He should run well but I am hopeful as opposed to confident."