Horses to follow: Nick Lightfoot with five names to note for the months ahead

Race: Dubai Sheema Classic Finishing position: 7th

Don’t forget Mogul.

I have to admit to feeling a little surprised when looking back at the results from Dubai World Cup night and seeing that the four-year-old finished well-held having been sent off a warm 7/4 market leader for the race.

Upon starting my shift a few hours prior to the Sheema Classic, Chrono Genesis and Mishriff had been battling it out at the top of the market, while the full brother to Japan did look rather striking at Meydan’s traditional ‘Breakfast with the Stars' work morning days ahead of the race.

I came to that conclusion that his six-and-a-half length defeat to Mishriff might just have been as simple as Mogul needing the run. On the figures alone, his performances towards the back end of 2020 were of a much higher calibre than at the start of that same season – culminating in success in the Hong Kong Vase.

He’s had his pipe-opener and looks the likeliest and latest Ballydoyle ‘globetrotter’ who could just have a big 2021.

Race: Al Quoz Sprint Finishing position: 3rd

Credit to Nigel Tinkler for sending Acklam Express to the Dubai World Cup Carnival. Although the three-year-old didn’t win, his three runs on the Meydan turf all yielded podium positions and all in Group races, including a career-best in the Group One in the Al Quoz Sprint.

He also proved six furlongs is within his compass – something his trainer wasn’t entirely sure about.

As a two-year-old, he proved an electric sprinter with festival success at both Goodwood and York, but the son of Mehmas has already taken his form to a new level this year and I’m excited to see him in Europe this summer.

Race: Dubai Gold Cup Finishing position: 1st

Considering the necessary hotel quarantine period when travelling back from Dubai, Joe Fanning’s Meydan appearance for just one ride was probably a bit of a tip in itself.

Subjectivist put up a simply destructive performance in the Dubai Gold Cup and lowered the track record set by three-time winner Vazirabad.

As his pedigree hinted, Subjectivist progressed throughout last year and, on the evidence of this seasonal reappearance, the four-year-old is a stayer to take very, very seriously.

Trainer Mark Johnston will be aiming the son of Teofilo at all of the high-ranking Cup races this season, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot a huge mid-season target. Johnston sent out both Dee Ex Bee and Nayef Road to finish second in that race in 2018 and 2019, but Subjectivist might just go one better.

Race: Al Quoz Sprint Finishing position: 2nd

Final Song had a very good Carnival, landing the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Sprint on Super Saturday before running a fine second to Extravagant Kid in the Al Quoz.

This time last year she was campaigned between seven furlongs and a mile, even finishing fourth to Love in the Qipco 1000 Guineas as an unheralded 100/1 shot.

The four-year-old's spell at Meydan this season proved she has plenty of speed for shorter – she can really travel over six furlongs, and I’m interested to see an entry in the Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes over that distance next month.

Race: Dubai Turf Finishing position: 1st

He proved different class in the Dubai Turf and this huge improver since the autumn of 2019 is now a dual Group One winner.

Time will tell how strong a piece of form this is, but the performance was awesome. His draw was far from perfect, but Frankie Dettori didn’t worry and he prevailed by three lengths over Vin De Garde from Japan - a nation with a tremendous record in the Dubai Turf.

On this evidence, last year’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner is likely to take very high rank in the top-level races over ten furlongs in Europe this year.