Gulf News sponsor this Friday afternoon 's Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting at Meydan with the official feature, the UAE 1000 Guineas highlighting a card which also includes the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint.

The first Classic of the season, the 1600m Listed UAE 1000 Guineas has attracted a field of seven headed by Godolphin's Gamilati who comfortably won the 1400m trial for the race on her local debut. Trained by Mahmoud Al Zarooni, she proved she handles the all-weather surface on that occasion and she looks the one they all have to beat with Frankie Dettori again in the saddle.

The biggest danger may turn out to be stable companion Pimpernel who was a Listed winner in the UK on her most recent start in October. French jockey Mickael Barzalona takes the ride and Al Zarooni explained: "We were delighted with Gamilati when she won the trial and this 1600m should suit her well. With the advantage of that run under her belt she looks our main hope with Pimpernel not having had a run yet here or on [the all-weather]. She is a nice filly also and will hopefully run well."

Alsindi, trained by last season’s champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe, chased Gamilati home in the trial but meets the Godolphin filly on worse terms, under the level weight of this contest.

Trainer Herman Brown saddles UAE debutante Moon Spun who was second in Group 2 company in her native South Africa on her latest start, but that was in May and she will probably need the race.

The Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint is over the same 1200m on the all-weather as the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, also sponsored by Gulf News on Dubai World Cup night. Carnival winners Addictive Dream and Captain Obvious will be advertising their claims to an invitation to the latter on this occassion.

Addictive Dream has won twice on turf already this year for British trainer David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls and should not mind the switch to the all-weather as he has good form on Polytrack in the UK. His draw in four looks good and Nicholls said: "The horse has done everything we have asked of him thus far and this is the next logical step. The [all-weather] will not be an excuse and he deserves this step up in grade."

Captain Obvious is one of the four winners from only five runners saddled in the UAE this year by Singapore-based Steven Burridge. He was very impressive when he won over course and distance under Oscar Chavez who is again in the saddle with the jockey defending his 100% UAE strike rate (he won on Captain Obvious and IP Man, who runs in the Meydan Classic Trial Sponsored By XPRESS, on his only two mounts thus far.)

The draw has not been so kind to him though, he will have to jump from gate nine, whereas Bahrain's Krypton Factor is perfectly drawn in three to try and repeat his all the way victory of last week over this course and distance. That was in a handicap but his owner/trainer Fawzi Nass explained: "That was a very good win last time and we need to try him in this company to see how good he is over this trip."

Track record holder Alo Pura, trained by Dhruba Selvaratnam, heads the list of dangers.