Top European filly Darjina and dual Nad Al Sheba winner Mourilyan line up on Dubai World Cup night. Princess Zahra Aga Khan’s Darjina is set to tackle the $5 million Dubai Duty Free over 1777m on Saturday’s international card. This will be the first time that the filly has raced over further than eight furlongs.

The Alain de Royer Dupré-trained daughter of Zamindar was a triple Group 1 winner over a mile as a three-year-old, notably beating both her elders and male counterparts in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. She has already proved her aptitude to international travel when a fast-finishing third in the Hong Kong Mile in December.

The rapidly-improving Mourilyan has earned his place in the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic thanks to a successful Carnival campaign. The John Oxx-trained four-year-old won his first two outings in handicap company at Nad Al Sheba and only missed out by half a length when coming with a late run in the Gr 3 Dubai City of Gold. Mourilyan is a son of Desert Prince and Kahyasi mare Mouramara, winner of the Prix Royallieu.

In the Sheema Classic, Mourilyan will meet Sinndar’s son Youmzain who finished just a head behind Dylan Thomas in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The ultra-consistent Youmzain took third place in the Sheema Classic in 2007 and was also runner-up in Ascot’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Updated on 28/03/2008