Discreet Cat, purchased privately by Godolphin late last year, is set to make his first start for that stable Thursday evening at Nad Al Sheba in the United Arab Emirates. The 3-year-old son of Forestry is one of the 19 entries in a mile conditions race on the dirt track, which has been added to the card on UAE Oaks night, the penultimate night of the Dubai International Racing Carnival. With just over a fortnight to the Dubai World Cup meeting, Discreet Cat will be bidding to book his place in the UAE Derby (UAE-II) on the Dubai World Cup card and a possible crack at the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Discreet Cat was purchased by Godolphin after the colt won a maiden at Saratoga, his only start to date, at Saratoga last year when he was trained by Stanley Hough. Second in that race, 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner, was Triple Crown nominee Superfly.
Meanwhile, it would appear increasingly unlikely that Henny Hughes, runner-up in last year's Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), will be ready in time to contest the UAE Derby. Having left Godolphin, he is now trained by Alec Laird for Sheikh Rashid but is not ready for racecourse action yet and time is now against them.