DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - After Gio Ponti, the winner of two Eclipse Awards in 2009, flew from Florida to Dubai last week for Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup, the 5-year-old was dragging for a few days, suffering from a case of equine jet lag.

But the closer Gio Ponti gets to the World Cup, the brighter he has become, according to his trainer, Christophe Clement.

"It took him a few more days to recover than expected," Clement said on Thursday. "I think he's back to where he should be."

Free Judgement will attempt to pick up where he left off last October on Sunday, when he should go off as the mild favorite in the Group 3, $66,000 Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial. A son of Vindication trained by Jim Bolger, Free Judgement won the seven-furlong, Group 3 Killavullan Stakes in his latest start at Leopardstown last fall and should be able to handle this step up to a mile. Kevin Manning will ride.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Vision d'Etat, a leading contender for Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse, will undergo a veterinary inspection early on raceday that will determine whether the four-time Group 1 winner starts in the world's richest race.

Further information on Vision d'Etat's condition and the reason for the inspection was not available on Friday afternoon in Dubai.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Presvis may not be a familiar name in the United States, but the consistency he has shown in Europe and both sides of Asia in the last year is phenomenal.

The 6-year-old gelding has won stakes in Dubai and Hong Kong and placed in stakes in England, Hong Kong, and Dubai. He has finished in the first three in his last 13 starts.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Trainer Carl O'Callaghan has repeatedly played Saturday's $2 million Golden Shaheen at Meydan racecourse over in his mind in recent days and he always dreams of the same scenario for Kinsale King.

"I'd like to be sitting right off the leaders," he said. "If he turns for home in front, he'll dig in and give it his all."

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The world knows about Presious Passion now.

After the gelding nearly stole the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November, losing by a half-length to Conduit, Presious Passion will command ample respect in Saturday's Sheema Classic. The Sheema, along with the Duty Free, is one of two $5 million races on the Dubai World Cup undercard at Meydan Racecourse.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Gio Ponti was the overlooked American champion of 2009.

Four wins in Grade 1 races and a second in the Breeders' Cup Classic were not enough to earn a spot among the Horse of the Year finalists, the domain of the superstar females Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

Those gals may have grabbed the headlines, but Gio Ponti will be after an astonishing $6 million first prize in Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse.

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