Pearl Flute in Meydan Group Two

Part of a team of horses that will carry Qatar Racing's colours during the Dubai Carnival, Pearl Flute will be ridden by Jamie Spencer in the £150,000 event for trainer Francis Graffard.

A four-year-old son of Piccolo, he was bought by David Redvers as a yearling for €42,000 and has won more than three times that sum with some excellent efforts on the racecourse. As a juvenile he beat subsequent French Guineas winner Style Vendome in a Listed race at Deauville, and later that season he won a Group Three contest and was placed in Italy's Gr.1 Gran Criterium.

He again performed creditably last season, winning another Group Three race in France and concluding the year when second in that grade at San Siro.

One of 14 horses due to line up in today's race, which is due off at 4.50pm UK time, Pearl Flute faces strong competition from the likely favourite, Sheikh Joann's Mshawish, ridden by Frankie Dettori.