Jack back for Dubai glory
Gerard Butler's Jack Sullivan bids to win the Group Three Maktoum Challenge II over nine furlongs on dirt for the second year running at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday.
The mount of Eddie Ahern faces eight rivals headed by Ismail Mohammed's Blatant, who was an easy winner of the first round over a furlong shorter three weeks ago.
With Richard Hills claimed by Hamdan Al Maktoum for the Doug Watson-trained Elmustanser, Kerrin McEvoy gets the leg up on Blatant.
Mick Kinane takes the ride on Saudi Arabia's Chiquitin, who was runner-up to Jack Sullivan 12 months ago.
Eccentric, formerly with Andrew Reid but now with Satish Seemar, makes his UAE bow in the race under Johnny Murtagh.
The John Hills-trained Clinet bids to follow up a handicap success at the Carnival three weeks ago in the Listed Cape Verdi for fillies and mares.
Her rivals include Mike De Kock's Emerald Beauty, Kevin O'Donnell's Shersha and Brindisi, campaigned in England by Hills' father Barry but now in the UAE with Dhruba Selvaratnam.
Mick Channon's Obe Bold is also seeking a second Carnival win and faces nine rivals in the extended six-furlong turf handicap, including Karl Burke's King Marju and Eamon Tyrrell's Slip Dance.
Another looking for a second Carnival win - but changing surface - is Clive Brittain's Kandidate, who contests the seven-furlong dirt handicap having won a mile handicap on turf three weeks ago.
Godolphin saddle Stetchworth Prince in the same race.
Barney Curley's Cristoforo runs in the first division of a 10-furlong turf handicap and is joined by Jeremy Noseda's Festive Style, Vince Smith's Kestrel Cross and Mick Halford's Tipperary All Star in a race that Hippodrome, formerly with Aidan O'Brien, makes his debut for South African Herman Brown.
Noseda's Courageous Duke is joined by Richard Fahey's Realism in the second division in which Bill Gredley's Whazzat, formerly with Barry Hills and now with Selvaratnam, makes her UAE bow.
The concluding turf handicap over an extended seven furlongs features Brittain's Party Boss, Channon's Millennium Force and Godolphin's Subpoena.
