Dubai World Cup Carnival: Godolphin four-strong in Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy

Brundtland and Ispolini take up the baton for Charlie Appleby while Bin Battuta and Red Galileo represent Saeed bin Suroor

Goldolphin trainer Charlie Appleby saddles Brundtland and Ispolini in Thursday's Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy. Leslie Pableo for The National

This Thursday is the penultimate meeting of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival with the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy the pick of the seven-race card.

Godolphin trainers Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor saddle four of the seven runners between them. Brundtland and Ispolini take up the baton for Appleby while Bin Battuta and Red Galileo represent Bin Suroor.

On form Brundtland looks the pick of the four. The Dubawi colt has won four of his five starts, including two Group 2 races and a Listed prize in Europe, and is the choice of Appleby’s first jockey William Buick.

Brundtland was a close fourth in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak over 3,000m at Chantilly, France, in his last start in October and Appleby says Thursday's race will be an opportunity to showcase his credentials for an appearance on Dubai World Cup night on March 30.

“His main target is the Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night and this is a prep run, so we are expecting a nice level of improvement going forwards into that race,” he told Godolphin's racing website.

“While the run will bring him on, he is a class performer and his best form will make him very competitive.”

With regards to Ispolini, who won his last start at Meydan, Appleby is hopeful of a good showing before a campaign in Australia.

“Ispolini won nicely earlier on in the Carnival, which opened up a few doors for him as he looks to be a potential stayer now,” Appleby said.

“All being well, he will be bang there this week, which will hopefully give him the opportunity to head out to Australia for the Group 1 Sydney Cup in April.”

Bin Battuta and Red Galileo both head into the race with decent form after good performances at this year's Carnival.

“Bin Battuta has twice run well over a mile-and-a-half at the Carnival so far and this trip will help us decide where his future lies,” he said.

“Red Galileo came out of his last run in good shape and 14 furlongs is a nice distance for him.”

The 3,000 Group 1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 for Purebred Arabians kicks off the seven-race card.

The Abdallah Al Hammadi-trained Goshawke and Ernst Oertel’s AF Al Sajanjle have shown consistent form recently and should be in the frame.

Jean de Roualle’s Ziyadd has strong claims while Chaddad, runner-up in the Dubai Kahayla Classic at last year's World Cup and now in the new silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed looks an interesting prospect.