THE action begins early on Super Saturday at Meydan today with Owen Burrows’ Hukum the most interesting in the 11.35am Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored By Emirates Skywards, with British-trained runners dominating the betting.

The ultra-consistent five-year-old has carried the colours of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum to seven victories, four of which have been at Group 3 level.

The multiple winner should get his season off to a successful start ahead of Charlie Appleby’s Global Storm.

All Irish eyes will be interested in the 12.40 where Ado McGuinness’ Group 1 winner A Case Of You is drawn 12 of 16 in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.

The four-year-old has the benefit of a recent run, having made a successful start to his campaign at Dundalk three weeks ago.

Appleby again provides the favourite in recent easy course-and-distance winner and American bred Man Of Power.

Andrea Atzeni returns on last season’s Group 1 Sprint Cup hero Emaraaty Ana. Runner-up to Winter Power as a 40/1 shot for the Nunthorpe at York last summer, Kevin Ryan’s charge proved that was no fluke when narrowly denying Starman in a thriller at Haydock in September.

He subsequently finished fourth behind American speedball Golden Pal at the Breeders’ Cup and will make his first competitive appearance since in this weekend’s Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.

Strong work

“I’m looking forward to riding him. He’s done a strong bit of work at Southwell. I watched the video and it looked like a solid piece of work,” said Atzeni.

“Kevin is very happy with him and if he’s ready, hopefully he’d be the one to beat on form. He loves fast ground and an easy six furlongs at Meydan should suit him.”

Nigel Tinkler’s Blue Point Sprint runner-up Acklam Express and the Karl Burke-trained Lord Of The Lodge also feature in the Group 3 field.

Victory bid

The turf Group 1 on the card is the Jebel Hatta, in which popular grey Lord Glitters bids for back-to-back victories.

David O’Meara’s stable stalwart looks the one to beat judged on his recent success in the Singspiel Stakes, with Appleby’s pair of Barney Roy and Zakouski chief among his rivals.

Doug O’Neill has booked Frankie Dettori to partner Appreciated, who won a listed prize at Meydan three weeks ago and tests the water at Group 1 level in round three of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

The locally-trained favourite is Irish-bred son of Lope De Vega, Hypothetical, a Group 3 winner by over three lengths last time, the mount of Mickael Barzalona.