Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien team up for the first time in 2016 as the Ballydoyle globetrotter Highland Reel tackles Saturday’s Sheema Classic in Meydan.

The World Cup appearance of the 2014 Kentucky Derby hero California Chrome will be the principal focus of the world’s richest meeting, with eight races worth $30 million.

Irish eyes, however, will be focussed on Sole Power’s defence of his Al Quoz sprint title and Highland Reel’s attempt to emulate St Nicholas Abbey, who won the Sheema Classic in 2013.

Moore rode the O’Brien-trained star to win in Hong Kong in December, and also finish third in October’s Cox Plate in Australia.

Describing the race as by far the best on the card, and Highland Reel as his best chance of a winner, the English jockey said: “The lack of a recent run could be a negative for me, but I think Aidan knows what he is doing on that score. I wouldn’t get off my horse for any other in this race.”

Sole Power is a Meydan stalwart and his trainer Eddie Lynam reckons Ireland’s former Horse of the Year is in top form for his title-defence.

“He seems at his happiest here. I have been training 30 years and have never had a horse as happy as him,” Lynam said “If he was an ice-cream, he would lick himself to death!”

The California Chrome team hope to improve on his 2015 second to Prince Bishop in the World Cup, but the hugely popular five-year-old will have to overcome a wide-draw.

“He has thrived out here,” said his veteran trainer, Art Sherman. “He gets into his training with a huge amount of enthusiasm and is at his peak at five.”