IRISH interest in the big race, the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup (4pm), in the UAE today is provided by Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave. He will start from stall 12 with Ryan Moore in the saddle. The Wootton Bassett colt was twice group-placed last season including in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ahead of the draw, O’Brien said: “The horse had a good season last year, he handles fast ground and we were looking for opportunities to travel with him in his four-year-old year. There’s fantastic prize money here in Abu Dhabi and the logistics, with stabling at Meydan, have made it easy for us. Ryan Moore told me it is a very fair track with a beautiful surface.”

Johnny Murtagh will also be represented by Chicago Critic (stall 6) and Ben Coen, the five-year-old losing out by the narrowest margins in Meydan last time in a mile Group 2 contest.

Colin Keane teams up with Andrew Balding’s Jonquil who will break from stall nine, as the likely market leaders for the $1 million contest all received high numbers at Thursday’s barrier draw.

Last season’s Greenham Stakes winner, who was narrowly denied in the French 2000 Guineas and went on to land the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood, has looked in very good form training at Meydan.

Versatile

He showed in 2025 he operates well following a winter break and he is versatile in terms of ground preference.

Balding’s wife Anna Lisa said after supervising Jonquil at Meydan: “He’s just had a canter on the track and looks very well. He’s strong in himself and had eaten well since his arrival.”

Balding is mindful of the fact the racecourse has been continually well watered and added: “Through his campaign last year, the ground conditions didn’t ever compromise him or play a part in the level of his performances. He seemed happy on everything.

“We are drawn nine but that could have been worse as the other better horses are drawn outside him.”

In the full field of 16, probable race favourite Quddwah drew stall 14, while the highest-rated runner Maljoom is next to him in 15, and Japan’s Strauss is in 10.

The seven-year-old Maljoom finished third in the Group 1 Dubai Turf on Super Saturday of the Dubai Racing Carnival last time out and will be looking to make a winning start to his 2026 campaign for new trainer Michael Costa.

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Zabeel Mile winner Quddwah, said: “He did it very well at Meydan (Zabeel Mile) and hopefully on Saturday he can do more of the same. He’s very straightforward and you can put him anywhere in the race.”

Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland concentrates on the flat these days and with co-trainer Jamie Insole fields a possible joker in the pack in the form of Witness Stand.