Dubai World Cup night 2017 – Decorated Knight all set for Dubai Turf challenge for trainer Roger Charlton

Charlton feels Decorated Knight has improved again ahead of the big night.

He said: "Decorated Knight did well to win his Group 1 from where he was last time out and he's come out of the race really well, but he'll need to find another two or three lengths, I guess.

"This is a strong race and I hope we get a better pace than we did in the Jebel Hatta. He goes there in good form and I think there's a little bit of improvement to come, fitness-wise.

"I monitor all my horses, their time, speeds and heart recovery. His figures are good and I would say he has improved a little.

"He used to be very headstrong but he's relaxing well now and he has a turn of foot. Andrea (Atzeni) knows him well and the horse knows the track, so you can't do any more than that.

"He's won his Group One so where we go after this we'll have to wait and see, but we hope he's going to run well on Saturday."

Decorated Knight is part of a formidable British assault on the nine-furlong contest, in which Richard Fahey's Ribchester sets the standard.

The Godolphin-owned colt mixed it with the best as a three-year-old last season, with his top-level victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois sandwiched between tremendous placed efforts in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and the QEII at Ascot.

Fahey said: "We're happy, he came here fit and we haven't had to do much.

"Some of his form is very good and we feel he's a better horse now, but round here you need a bit of luck.

"I feel he'll stay, his dam ran over a mile and a half. If he settles he'll definitely stay.

"There was no pressure from Godolphin to come, it was my idea. There aren't many races. The better the horse, the less opportunities you have.

"It was either run here or wait until the Lockinge in the middle of May so he'll probably do both.

"He was joint-top-rated three-year-old in Europe last year so we'll see how he fares against the older horses."

The William Haggas-trained Mutakayyef finished an excellent third in last year's Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter, before finishing third again behind smart mare Tepin in the Woodbine Mile in Canada.

He missed his intended reappearance in last month's Winter Derby at Lingfield due to a foot abscess, but jockey Jim Crowley is unconcerned.

He said: "I've been really impressed with Mutakayyef, he seems in really good form.

"Obviously he missed his intended run, but I don't think it seems to have been a problem.

"He's been and had a couple of racecourse gallops at Chelmsford and he feels great."

Aidan O'Brien fires a three-pronged assault in the bid to win the race for a first time.

Ryan Moore has sided with Deauville over stable companions Long Island Sound (Seamie Heffernan) and Cougar Mountain (Donnacha O'Brien).

Heading the betting is the impeccably-bred French challenger Zarak.

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A son of Dubawi out of the great racemare Zarkava, the four-year-old looked the part when winning a Group 3 at Meydan in mid-February.

Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said: "He is in good form and ready for the race. But it is going to be tough as there are some good horses in there.

"He won his prep race well here - very well, in fact.

"He has grown quite a bit since last year and while the race is tough, with some serious horses like last year's Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Ribchester in it, I'm hopeful he will run well."

David O'Meara's Mondialiste, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Very Special and Opal Tiara from Mick Channon's stable also feature in a 13-strong field.