Varian lining up leading lights to make a flying start at Doncaster and Dubai

Roger Varian is aiming to make immediate inroads when the British Flat turf season begins at the end of next month, and the trainer is also hoping for big-race success at the Dubai World Cup carnival.

Doncaster's Unibet Lincoln meeting on March 28 heralds the beginning of the turf season, and Varian has several chances for the main race, led by Fifth Position, 7-1 favourite with the sponsors.

Stablemate Mutamaasik is next best in the market at 10-1, and Varian could also call on Sharja Bridge and Game Player.

Assessing his options, the trainer said on Monday: "Fifth Position is a soft-ground horse, so if it keeps raining that will be to his advantage. On the other hand, Mutamaasik is a top-of-the-ground horse, although he's pretty smart.

"Sharja Bridge is another soft-ground horse, but he's rated 111, so would have a lot of weight. Game Player is another top-of-the-ground horse and might not be rated highly enough. We'll see."

Lincoln card

Defoe with trainer Roger Varian looking on at Lingfield on MondayCredit: Graham Dench

With Dubai World Cup night also taking place on March 28, Varian could be celebrating international and domestic triumphs as Defoe is being readied for the Sheema Classic.

Last season's Coronation Cup and Hardwicke Stakes winner, Defoe delighted Varian in a racecourse gallop at a blustery Lingfield on Monday morning and will fly out to Dubai on Wednesday in a bid to follow in the footsteps of his former stablemate Postponed.

In 2016 the King George winner Postponed, also owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, enjoyed a similar spin around Lingfield before travelling to Dubai, where he impressed in the Group 2 City Of Gold Stakes before comfortably beating the Japanese-trained Duramente in the Sheema Classic.

Defoe is following an identical programme and Varian believes he is ideally equipped for the race, for which he is a top-priced 10-1.

The six-year-old, with regular partner Andrea Atzeni on board, galloped around nine furlongs with a lead horse, who Varian declined to identify but insisted was "pretty good", and quickened around six lengths clear in the final furlong.

Varian said: "You would have to be happy with that. He stretched out well and he's not over-blowing afterwards. Andrea was happy with his action and he'll fly out on Wednesday."

Atzeni added: "The lead horse did a good job, setting a nice even tempo, and Defoe picked him up nicely. It was hard work into the wind down the back, but he came home really well with the wind behind him and he's in good order."

Daahyeh: won the Albany last seasonCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Varian also had news of Qipco 1,000 Guineas fancy , who was second at the Breeders' Cup last autumn and is generally priced at 16-1 or 20-1 for the Newmarket Classic, with only a handful of fillies ahead of her in the betting.

He said: "Daahyeh is in great form and has wintered well. I'm open minded about whether she has a prep run, but we don't need to prove that she's good enough and she doesn't lack experience. She's two from two on the track.

"We also have Stylistique, who was beaten only half a length by Daahyeh in the Rockfel and is pretty smart but is still a maiden, and a couple of other fillies who won novices and might run in trials, but Daahyeh is the form filly. She ran very well in the US and having looked physically as if she might just be a two-year-old she has done very well."

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