The Nad Al Sheba race meet yesterday night threw up a sequence of pointers to the much-awaited Dubai Racing Carnival, which kicks-off Thursday next week, including a pair of likely Maktoum Challenge contenders in the day's most eye-catching winners, Tropical Star and Seeking The Prize.

Tropical Star is fast emerging as the flag-bearer for trainer Ali Rashid Al Rahie's Metropolitan Stables after completing a hat-trick of season victories with another truly professional display to win the Al Nasr Leisureland and Cyclone Cup.

The Machiavellian gelding, unchallenged in his two previous starts at this course, stepped up another significant notch on the ratings when slicing through the 10-horse field to win by three quarters of a length under in-form rider Richard Mullen.
 
Bold Demand, who made most of the running for Brett Doyle, stayed on for second place with Pacino, ridden by Seb Sanders, one and a quarters of a length back in third."He's a horse we've held in high regard from the word go," said Mullen who has had the unique distinction of riding a winner in each of the last nine race meetings. "He's gone from strength and his confidence is growing every race. It was a good performance today.

"He's enjoying the game a little bit more and the confidence that the stable has had in him is all paying off."The step down in trip was our only concern today but he travelled so well, probably the best he has in his last three races. He was a bit flat after the turn but when he was asked the question he quickened up and ran on very strong," Mullen added. Al Rahie also revealed that he would now aim Tropical Star at the first leg of the Maktoum Challenge on January 29.

"He's a very brave horse and we have no hesitation in nominating him for a race like the Maktoum Challenge," he said. "There are going to be some tough horses in the race but we are not afraid. Tropical Star has the capability and courage to run a race of that class."Seeking The Prize also earned himself a shot at the Maktoum Challenge after conjuring up a winning effort under former Uae champion jockey Brett Doyle to win the Khazana Cup, a Limited race over the Maktoum Challenge distance.

Rashid Bouresly, who has struck a rich vein of form after receiving an ERA trainer's license last Thursday, also had no hesitation in naming Seeking The Prize as contender for the first of many big prizes on offer during the nine-week long Dubai International Racing Carnival."He's got a lot of class and we always intended to run him in the Carnival," said Bouresly. "He has won over the course and distance of the Maktoum Challenge so it's obvious that we will bring him back in two weeks time to contest the Group race.

"He's a good horse and we hope he can reproduce what he has shown up today two weeks from now."Earlier trainer Erwan Charpy saddled Deodatus to win a third race in a row and has indicated that the horse will also head to the Carnival.Charpy completed a double, having earlier won a Purebred Arabian handicap with Croixnoire. Allan Smith also landed a double with the impressive Ras Hafa and Kulachi.