1

Green Mask

Has also raced at distances beyond 1600m but certainly looks effective at this pure speed trip, having run second over it in turf events on a fast surface in Florida in two recent starts. The ratings suggest that he has plenty to find, though US-based trainer Wesley Ward is a master when it comes to travelling sprinters overseas as he has showed when winning at Royal Ascot.

2

Bundle Of Joy

Five of the six Hong Kong wins of this speedster have come over this distance and his victims included both Peniaphobia and Amber Sky when he won the National Day Cup at Sha Tin last October though he was giving a lot of weight away to the latter in that handicap. Also involved in a terrific finish with Peniaphobia in the Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin in January and, given the great success of Hong Kong sprinters when they travel abroad, it is no surprise that he has been directed towards Meydan for this big sprint prize.

3

Hototo

Formerly based in the UK but now plies his trade at Meydan and both his runs here this year have been sharp. He won a handicap over this course in January and was narrowly beaten in another one in February. Although he would need to step up a gear to win this, it has been his target for a long time and trainer Fawzi Nass has had plenty of success in sprints here at Meydan.

4

Via Africa

A very high class sprinter in South Africa with some terrific early pace. She was having her first start since winning a G1 at Scottsville in May 2014 in the G3 trial for this earlier in the month. She ran out of steam in the closing stages but the perception is that she will be much sharper for that and will be respected here.

5

Farmah

A much improved French-trained sprinter last year, concluding 2014 when romping to a 6l victory in a G3 in Rome last November though the ground was heavy that day. Made her debut at Meydan over 1200m on the dirt but after getting caught up in a battle for the lead she faded, beaten 9 1/2L in sixth of nine. Perhaps this return to a more familiar turf surface will help.

6

Sir Maximilian

A 1000m specialist, with all his seven career victories coming over this trip. He has mostly performed to a high level during this year's Meydan campaign especially last time when Kieren Fallon -riding him for the first time - galvanised him into a powerful late surge to collar Ahtoug -runner-up in this race last year - in the closing stages. He'll need to do at least as well again to take this big prize.

7

Sole Power

This popular speedster won another couple of G1 sprints in the UK last summer but he is also familiar in Hong Kong and here at Meydan where he did best in this valuable dash back in 2012, finishing second, though things didn't go his way when he was only seventh last year. A fast closer, he had no luck at all in his trial for this earlier in the month, but didn't have a hard race and can't be ignored.

8

Mirza

A nine-times winner who will be ridden for the first time by James Doyle who has been riding this Meydan track particularly well in the last few months. Mirza is UK based but has been cleverly campaigned for some top sprints in France where the competition is sometimes less fierce with his last win coming in a G3 at Longchamp in September. Hopefully the turf won't ride too fast as he has always been thought better on an easy surface.

9

Stepper Point

He only won twice from 11 starts last year but ran plenty of good races in top sprints - twice a runner-up to Sole Power in G1's in the UK -and no surprise that his connections are looking for the big money in Dubai. He has won after a break before so the 174 day gap since his last run is not a big worry.

10

Amber Sky

Gained a splendid success for Hong Kong in 2014 with his all-the-way victory in this event, fending off Saturday's rival Ahtoug by a neck and posting a new track record time in the process. Admittedly he came into that event having stylishly won the Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup whereas this time - after some training setbacks - he finished last of eight in the same event. He'll need to be right back at his best to repeat last year's great Meydan feat.

11

Caspar Netscher

Four times a winner at Group race level in Europe and more recently landed a G2 at Woodbine in Canada. However those wins all came between 1200m and 1600m so there will be a worry about this fast 1000m test. Nonetheless connections were delighted by his run in the G3 trial here earlier in the month when a close third to Sir Maximilian and Ahtoug, both of whom had a race-fitness advantage.

12

Caspian Prince

His ten wins include a victory in a valuable sprint handicap at Epsom's all-speed downhill track, leading and then battling back after being headed that day last June. He led from gate to wire in a handicap here two starts back but, although fast away again in the G3 trial this month, he ruined his chance by hanging right throughout that race.

13

Ahtoug

Only beaten a neck by Amber Sky in this G1 speed battle a year ago, and it could have been a different story if his rider hadn't dropped his whip at a crucial stage. Just lost out in another tense finish here when caught late by the much-less-fancied Sir Maximilian earlier this month. He should put another big show.

14

Distinctiv Passion

Comes here off a runaway win  (as an odds-on favourite) on the dirt at Santa Anita in February. Though he has also won in minor company on the turf it would be a surprise if he was able to cope with some of the established grass performers in this G1 clash.

15

Lancelot Du Lac

His five career wins have all come over further than this 1000m trip which suggests that he might not have quite the necessary speed. However two of his three starts at Meydan  in 2015- both at this distance - have been good, first when a close second behind today's rival Ahtoug and then when a close fourth to Sir Maximilian, another of today's rivals.

16

Peniaphobia

Since arriving in Hong Kong he has increasingly shown that he was an international sprinter in the making, including when only just a neck behind all-the-way winner Aerovelocity in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December. Neither of his subsequent runs including a win over 1000m at Sha Tin have done his reputation any damage, though the Dubai Golden Shaheen over the 1200m on the dirt was originally mentioned as the Meydan target.