Godolphin's Confrontation (War Pass) made a big impression when winning last year's G3 Firebreak S. on his local debut last year, and the 7-year-old gelding looks to make it back-to-back renewals on Saturday. Confrontation made just one subsequent start last season for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, finishing a well-beaten sixth in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and he makes his first trip to the post for Saeed bin Suroor on Saturday.
“Obviously he won this race last year so conditions suit him,” said bin Suroor. “This has been his first target all year and he has been working well. That said, I do think he will improve for this first run since March.”
Mike de Kock saddles Lindo Amor (Arg) (Dynamix), who was third on his local debut over this trip in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 5, but dropped back to seventh over 1900 metres in Round 2 on Feb. 2. Satish Seemar sends out two runners, including the progressive North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the winner of his last three starts over this course and distance.
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