Espoir City and Success Brocken renew their growing rivalry at Tokyo on Sunday, when they will jockey for Dubai World Cup positions in the February Stakes, a Grade 1 dirt mile worth $2 million.

A Gold Allure 5-year-old trained by Akio Adachi, Espoir City got the upper hand the last time these two met, taking the 1 1/8-mile Japan Cup Dirt on Dec. 6 when Success Brocken was six lengths behind in fourth. Espoir City also took the measure of Success Brocken when he beat him by four lengths into second in the Mile Championship on dirt at Morioka in October.

Buena Vista, Japan's champion 3-year-old filly in 2009, presents her Dubai Sheema Classic credentials at Kyoto on Saturday when she squares off with champion Japanese older horse Dream Journey in the $1.3 million, Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen.

Musir proved to be an easy winner of the $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan on Thursday as he cruised past Godolphin runner Frozen Power for a handy 3 1/4-length victory in the Group 3 mile, which serves as a prep for the $2 million UAE Derby.

European turf form proved the key to Round 2 of the 1 3/16-mile Maktoum Challenge on Thursday night as Allybar held off Crowded House in the $200,000 Group 3 trial for the Dubai World Cup on Meydan's synthetic Tapeta surface.

Coming from last of twelve to first with a bold outside move under Ahmed Ajtebi, Allybar was following up on a 7 1/2-length victory over the highly regarded Presvis in a 1 1/4-mile handicap on Feb. 5. Now 2 for 2 on the Meydan Tapeta, the King's Best 4-year-old gives Godolphin a legitimate dark horse contender in the Dubai World Cup.

Justenuffhumor makes his Dubai debut for trainer Saeed bin Suroor at Meydan on Friday night in the Group 2, $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort, a one-mile prep for the $5 million Dubai Duty Free.

The $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan on Thursday night is Dubai's first major stepping-stone toward the Kentucky Derby, but the one-mile Group 3 race will go without Godolphin's leading Derby candidate, Vale of York.

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Vale of York was termed "not quite ready" for the Guineas by Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford on Tuesday.

Cannonball, second in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, has left trainer Wesley Ward - at least temporarily - to join top Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse. The first American-trained horse to run in Australia when he finished ninth in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on Jan. 30, Cannonball will be prepared by Waterhouse for the six-furlong, Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 6.

War Artist took advantage of a troubled trip suffered by Gayego to make off with the Grade 3, $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint at Meydan in Dubai on Thursday night. In his first start on a synthetic track, the James Eustace-trained War Artist quickened away from the field under Olivier Peslier to defeat Gayego by 2 3/4 lengths, traveling the six furlongs in 1:10.74 in what amounts to a track record on Meydan's fourth day of racing this winter.

A world-class sprinter by any stretch of the imagination, Gayego will make his seasonal debut at Meydan on Thursday night when he faces 11 rivals in the Group 3, $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint. Godolphin's 5-year-old son of Gilded Time will be ridden for the first time by Frankie Dettori in the one-turn, six-furlong dash on Meydan's synthetic Tapeta surface.

Presvis, as low as 10-1 fourth choice with some British bookmakers for the Dubai World Cup, disappointed in his second start on a synthetic track at Meydan on Friday night, finishing a distant second to Godolphin's listed winner Allybar in a $150,000, 1 1/4-mile handicap.