He's not been back with us long but I've not had to do a lot with him. I just had to keep him happy and give him a little blowout.
UAE Derby fourth Mickdaam returns to Britain for a crack at the £250,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy at Newmarket on Thursday.
The Dubawi colt, whose Timeform master rating of 116 means he heads the figures for the race, is now back with Malton handler Richard Fahey after running four times at Meydan under the care of South African trainer Mike de Kock.
Runner-up in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas, he then won a listed race before staying on nicely to take fourth spot behind Daddy Long Legs in the Group 2 UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night.
"Mike (de Kock) did wonderfully well with him and the horse ran well out there. It wasn't a surprise that he did," said Fahey.
"The horse has come here in good form. He's not been back with us long but I've not had to do a lot with him. I just had to keep him happy and give him a little blowout."
Fahey also saddles Chapter Seven (Timeform Rating 97p), who faces his stiffest test to date but with prize money down to ninth place and just 14 runners he takes his chance.
"The owner was quite keen to run. It's a big pot," Fahey went on.
"He won over a mile at Musselburgh and is officialy rated 90. If he gets the trip he could run OK. He goes there in good form.
David Wachman is also double-handed with Alkazim (97) and Amira's Prince (100p).
Both are fit from a run in the last four weeks and the County Tipperary trainer expects the step up from a mile not to inconvenience them.
"The two of them are in good shape and they travelled over well. They are both entitled to take their chance and we'll see what happens," said Wachman.
"They are both stepping up to 10 furlongs, but I don't think it will be much of a problem."
In other Tattersalls Millions Trophy news, Richard Hannon, who had a 1-2 in the bumper first prize 12 months ago with Auld Burns and Measuring Time, is represented by Benbecula, Coupe de Ville, Rock Supreme and Rougemont.
"Coupe de Ville won four out of six last season, including the big sales race over course and distance, and he is BHA-rated 20lb clear of our other three, so would seem our number one hope," the trainer told www.richardhannonracing.tv.
"He was going away at the end of the seven when he won here, so you would have to think there was a chance he would stay this longer distance. He has already won at a mile.
"Like Dubawi Gold, Rock Supreme joined us from Michael Dods. He won his maiden at York and, though he will need to improve, he is a full brother to Yellowstone, so stamina should not be a problem there.
"Similarly, Rougemont who, though twice a winner last season, always looked like making a better three-year-old being by Montjeu, has no worries about stamina, while Benbecula, who completes the quartet, is certainly fit enough having had three runs on the all-weather this year."
Charlie Hills is looking for a decent performance from Ellaal, though the Lambourn handler does have reservations about the distance for the son of Oasis Dream, whose only two racecourse appearances to date came over seven furlongs on this track last autumn.
"He's a really likeable horse who has made good physical progress over the winter and is more than capable of running a big race. The only possible query could be the trip," the Lambourn trainer told www.charliehills.com.
The John Gosden-trained Ex Oriente won over a mile and a quarter at Lingfield in January, but takes a huge hike in class.
His jockey William Buick admits the Azamour gelding will have plenty on his plate.
"Ex Oriente ran better than his final place at Doncaster last time (fourth to Kingsdesire in a handicap) but it's a massive step up in the Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-0 Trophy where he's got 34lb to find with the top-rated horse Mickdaam," Buick told www.attheraces.com.
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