KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)

Bhupat Seemar, the UAE's champion trainer, heads into the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan with strength in numbers and quiet confidence, led by his principal contender Imperial Emperor in the main race.

Seemar, who has rapidly built a formidable record since taking out his licence in 2022, will saddle 15 runners across the card, more than any other trainer. Leading the challenge are Imperial Emperor and Walk Of Stars, both returning for a second attempt at the Group 1 showpiece.

"Imperial Emperor is definitely doing a lot better than last year, when I think he was a little bit of a tired horse, so we've freshened him up," Seemar said. "Walk Of Stars actually improved with every run this year, so they're both in good shape."

The race is headed by international star Forever Young, widely regarded as the world's leading dirt horse, but Seemar is relishing the opportunity to test his stable against elite opposition.

"He's the best horse in the world – you can't take anything away from him. He's danced every dance," he said. "It's good to have the best horse in the world here and to run against him."

Away from the main event, Seemar's sprinting ranks are headed by Tuz, the former Dubai Golden Shaheen winner, who is attempting to reclaim his crown as a nine-year-old.

"He is probably in the form of his life," Seemar said. "He wasn't that fit last time, but he's where we want him to be now. We didn't want to run him as often as last year."

He also fields Drew's Gold and Mufasa in the same race, with the former unbeaten this season and the latter still something of an enigma.

"Mufasa is a tricky horse and we're trying to figure him out," Seemar said. "Ryan Moore felt he should have won last time despite being hampered, and when a jockey like him wants to ride again, it's a positive."

Seemar's four-pronged challenge in the UAE Derby is led by Six Speed, alongside Rammaas, Lino Padrino and the temperamental Salloom. "Salloom is just so quirky," he said. "If he behaves himself, he's got a world of talent."

On Six Speed, he added: "He's brilliant – he's got tons of speed. If he stays, he's a very serious horse."

Despite the scale of his operation on racing's biggest night in Dubai, Seemar remains measured in his outlook. "You do the best you can," he said. "After that, it's up to the jockeys and the horses."