Doug Watson was narrowly denied a fourth UAE champion trainer title this season as he finished four behind Musabah Al Muhairi.
The destiny of the title was decided at Jebel Ali last Friday when, after the first race, the gap was cut to just two winners.
The American still saddled 41 winners this term, six of them at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival and 22 at Meydan Racecourse, which is the venue for Saturday’s Dubai World Cup.
Watson attributed success to organisers ripping up the Tapeta surface and replacing it with dirt.
“It has been a really good season,” he said. “When it was announced Meydan were to put down a dirt track I could not have been happier. I train on dirt and my horses traditionally ran well on it.
“We did not have such a good record on the all-weather but the majority of our horses have really taken to the new surface.”
Watson saddles six horses on racing’s richest race day including local debutant Candy Boy in the US$10 million (Dh36.7m) Dubai World Cup, Cool Cowboy in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, Layl in the Godolphin Mile and Limario, a winner at Abu Dhabi this season over 1,800 metres who lines up in the Group 1 Dubai Turf.
“I am really looking forward to Saturday, as is the whole team. It is a great achievement to get six horses to the big night and we think we have a few decent each-way chances,” Watson said.
“Layl does not have the best of draws in the Godolphin Mile for a 1,600m dirt contest where the stats are very much against him.
“I just hope Cool Cowboy fares better when the gates are announced for the Golden Shaheen. My father and my sister are coming over this year so, hopefully, it will be a great evening and they can help ease my nerves.”
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