JOHNNY Murtagh’s Group 2 winner Alakazi gets his four-year-old campaign underway at today’s Super Saturday meeting in Meydan, with the progressive colt lining up in the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes Sponsored By Emirates Airline at 4.00pm.

The Aga Khan homebred announced himself as a smart prospect when bolting up in a Leopardstown maiden 10 months ago and went on to place in three stakes races before landing the Solonaway Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.

The Footstepsinthesand colt later outran odds of 22/1 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, finishing a neck behind The Lion In Winter and in front of previous Group 1 winners Field Of Gold, Rosallion, Fallen Angel and Exactly. Being out of a Sea The Stars, he is expected to get today’s nine-furlong trip, nor will it be an issue for last month’s course Group 2 winner Quddwah, according to Ed Crisford, who trains the six-year-old in partnership with his father Simon.

“The extra furlong shouldn’t be a problem for him - his dam (Sajjhaa) won in Dubai over this trip and he’s in super form,” the co-trainer explained.

Excuses

The six-year-old entire disappointed last time out in the Abu Dhabi Cup, finishing fourth, but Crisford has drawn a line through the run.

“He didn’t really get a clear run in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “He was drawn badly and he was on the wing and he ran a nice race, but I just felt circumstances went against him.

“He’s in great order; he did well on this track in January and I’m sure he’ll run a very solid race.”

Maljoom was also drawn wide in Abu Dhabi and raced keenly on his first start for local trainer Michael Costa, eventually finishing a disappointing 11th.

Formerly with William Haggas, the lightly-raced seven-year-old has shown plenty of class in the past, winning the German 2000 Guineas and later placing in both the Queen Anne Stakes and Sussex Stakes.

The son of Caravaggio ran just twice last year, finishing second in a listed race at Lingfield and was last season taking third in the Dubai Turf over today’s course and distance.