Victory Moon was yesterday given the opportunity of emulating Moon Ballad's performance 12 months ago after securing an invitation to run in the $6 million Group I Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates airline. 

Last year Moon Ballad won the Group III second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge en route to his Dubai World Cup success and Victory Moon will attempt to complete the same double after his brilliant performance last week in the Maktoum Challenge at Nad Al Sheba.

The Mike de Kock-trained four-year-old took his record at Nad Al Sheba to four wins from six starts and repeated his victory over Inamorato in last year's UAE Derby with his defeat of that horse last Thursday.

Victory Moon will join other global stars such as Breeders' Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect, Bobby Frankel's Medaglia d'Oro and Japan's premier dirt horse Admire Don in the Dubai World Cup. Frankel is also planning on sending Midas Eyes to run in the Godolphin Mile.

Four invitees

Four horses, including Victory Moon, have earned a Dubai World Cup night invitation after running during the Dubai International Racing Carnival, the John Oxx-trained D'Anjou was invited to run in the $1 million Group II Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Jebel Ali International Hotels, after his win in the Group III Al Fahidi Fort.

The three-year-olds Little Jim and Jack Sullivan received invitations to run in the $2 million Group II UAE Derby after filling the first two placings in the Group III UAE 2000 Guineas at Nad Al Sheba on February 5.

Star South African sprinter National Currency had already received an invitation  for the $2 million Group I Dubai Golden Shaheen prior to his blistering performance in the Al Shindagha Sprint.

Another contender for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the Australian Exceed And Excel, returned to racing in brilliant style at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, winning the Group II Royal Sovereign Stakes. A winner of the Group I Dubai Racing Club Cup at Caulfield last September, Exceed And Excel will have his final lead-up for the Dubai Golden Shaheen in the Group I Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 6.

Commenting on the recent invitations, Fin Powrie, Director of Racing of the Emirates Racing Association, said: "It is very exciting for Dubai International Racing Carnival horses to show their class here at Nad Al Sheba and graduate to compete on Dubai World Cup night. "The Dubai International Racing Carnival has been very well received in North America, Europe and South Africa."