'They're hard to take on' - Gosden wary of Japanese rivals as Lord North gears up for Dubai Turf hat-trick bid

Attendance was sparse at Meydan racecourse on Tuesday morning but Thady Gosden was among the small congregation to watch the three-pronged attack he will launch on Saturday's World Cup card.

With father John set to arrive later in the week, the joint-trainer was just hours off the plane when seeing his raiders stretch their legs on the Tapeta training track. All three worked enthusiastically on their first foray out of the quarantine barn, with Lord North looking particularly powerful.

The Dubai Turf hat-trick seeker spared Britain's blushes when dead-heating with Panthalassa after a string of Japanese successes at the meeting last year and, while full of respect for Japan's latest challenge, Gosden is confident he is arriving off a stronger preparation this time around.

"It was tight enough last year," he joked. "The form was franked when Panthalassa won the Saudi Cup in February. The Japanese horses have been doing exceptionally well in the Middle East and have been getting big results, so they're hard to take on.

"Lord North has taken the same route as last year through the Winter Derby, but he won it this time and was much more impressive under just hands and heels after a long time off the track."

Thady Gosden: saddles Lord North in the Dubai TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker

With Panthalassa contesting the feature $12 million Dubai World Cup on dirt this year, the bookmakers have identified Japan's Do Deuce as Lord North's chief threat in a field that also contains Godolphin trio Real World, Nations Pride and Master Of The Seas.

While last year's Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn will not bid to give Clarehaven a fourth Dubai Sheema Classic after failing to sparkle in her work, the Gosdens have an able substitute in Mostahdaf.

Although slightly surprised by the manner of the five-year-old's runaway victory over an extended 1m2f in Saudi Arabia, Gosden is hopeful he can build on the effort now he returns to a mile and a half.

"Mostahdaf has always been a talented horse," he said. "He was training well into the race and put a solid race to bed pretty smoothly. He won the September Stakes over a mile and a half and Meydan is a very flat, fair track, so we thought we’d step him up in trip rather than down."

The team is completed by Ebor winner Trawlerman, who was also in action at Riyadh last month and goes for the Dubai Gold Cup, while back at home operations are gathering pace without a key player.

"Sadly Commissioning had an issue and had to be retired," Gosden said of the one-time 1,000 Guineas candidate. "She ended her career as an unbeaten champion two-year-old filly. Things are going okay but we still have some time until the Guineas."

The Dubai World Cup (4.35) will be broadcast on ITV4 for the first time following the completion of the afternoon's jumps action at Kelso and Newbury. ITV4 will also show the Dubai Turf (3.10) and Dubai Sheema Classic (4.00).

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