Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night.

View from connections ahead of Saturday's Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night.

Connections of Dubday are eager to see how he fares as he takes a leap up in trip for the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

The five-year-old is the star performer in Qatar, with the Dubawi horse having won each of his six starts for champion trainer Jassim Al Ghazali after racing for German connections in the early part of his career.

His most recent win came when he landed a second Emir's Trophy at Doha in February, defying a wide draw in stall 16 under Frankie Dettori, and bids to enjoy better fortune this weekend than he did 12 months ago when severely hampered in the Sheema Classic.

A crack at a longer trip could lead to a possible European campaign, with Goodwood and Royal Ascot being mentioned in the aftermath of his latest success.

Harry Herbert, Al Shaqab's racing manager, said: "He is undefeated at Doha and recently won the Emir's Trophy again. He is the horse of the year there, which is fabulous, but it is hard to know how that form stacks up.

"Frankie felt he relaxed so much in his last race that if we wanted to come to Dubai, this race might give him the best chance of a win.

"There's certainly some stamina on his dam's side and we want to see how he fares over the trip, with a possible view to taking him back to the UK and possibly a Cup race.

"You never know if they will stay until you try, so we will see how we go."

Brown Panther leads the British charge after scoring a landmark first win at Group One level in last year's Irish St Leger.

The Tom Dascombe-trained seven-year-old had hit the bar a couple of times at the highest level but his six-and-a-half-length defeat of Leading Light at the Curragh marked a career-best effort.

Brown Panther subsequently went on to tackle the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita but the drop back to a mile and a half did not play to his strengths, although he was only beaten just under six lengths in a blanket finish.

"He's had a good break and is very well," Dascombe reported of Michael Owen's pride and joy.

"He came back from America in early November and we turned him out, other than putting him on the horsewalker and sending him swimming before Christmas. Then we had him cantering away from the first week of January.

"He's done a lot of swimming, because we have to keep him busy as he thrives on being active, and we took him to Wolverhampton on March 2 for a day out. He went round with Angelic Lord, who was just touched off at Lingfield afterwards, so that was encouraging.

"The ground will be quick but it's got a good covering of grass, so it shouldn't ride too firm. He'll love the long straight, which reminds me of Doncaster, where he was second in the St Leger, so in terms of the going, the track and the trip, everything's perfect."

Godolphin are double-handed in the two-mile heat with both the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Ahzeemah and John Gosden's Marzocco lining up.

The latter warmed up for this assignment with a win at Chelmsford earlier in the month and he will be reunited with Gosden's former stable jockey William Buick.

Gosden said: "He has travelled over well, is in good form and I have been happy with him.

"I think that the trip will suit him as will the track. He was a late invite to the race and the race does have depth to it, but he is in very good form."

Buick told www.godolphin.com: "I know Marzocco well and John is pleased with the horse. He only just won at Chelmsford the other day but he will improve for the run.

"It is an open race. Marzocco stays and tries very hard so I am hoping to be in the shake-up."

Ahzeemah was well down the field at Meydan in February but connections are expecting an improved effort this time.

Bin Suroor said: "Ahzeemah was disappointing last time but we are expecting a better performance on Saturday. Two miles is good for him and he has run well in this race previously."

The Andrew Balding-trained Havana Beat also takes his chance while Pia Brandt's Bathyron represents French interests.

Ryan Moore rides Havana Beat and believes that he has it all to do.

"Havana Beat has it all to do in the Dubai Gold Cup on ratings," he told his exclusive Betfair blog.  "His rating of 104 leaves him with a stone to find with Brown Panther. 

"My horse ran a nice race in a Group 3 race at Meydan four weeks ago, though. That was his first run since he ran in the American St Leger at Arlington Park last August, so it should bring him on."