Blue Point enhanced his status as the favorite for the $2 million Al Quoz Sprint on the Dubai World Cup program of March 30, while Divine Image ran herself into Kentucky Oaks consideration in early races Saturday at Meydan Racecourse at Dubai.

Drafted began the Super Saturday program of Dubai World Cup card preps with a workmanlike score in the Mahab al Shimaal, but one race later it was Divine Image really catching the eye winning the $300,000 Al Bastakiya by 7 ½ lengths.

Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, 3-year-old filly Divine Image only made her career debut Dec. 13 at Chelmsford Park in England, and while she showed some promise finishing second in her Dubai debut and narrowly winning the UAE Oaks, Saturday’s performance against males showed the filly had advanced to a higher level.

Divine Image got a 4.4-pound weight break from the colts and geldings in the Al Bastakiya and with regular rider William Buick riding at more than the 116-plus pounds she was assigned, Brett Doyle took the mount Saturday after working with Divine Image, who can be hot-blooded, for a couple weeks. Divine Image balked a bit behind the starting gate but broke well enough and took up a favorable position just behind the leaders into the first turn. There she stayed until the homestretch, nose glued to tails, before Doyle tipped her out in upper stretch, Divine Image inhaling the leaders and winning as she pleased. Superior finished second, Manguzi a distant third, and the American horse Tone Broke 14th.

The 1:59.07 for 1900 meters fell far from spectacular but Divine Image, a daughter of Scat Daddy and Sure Route, by Ishiguru, is headed the right direction. Appleby said the UAE Derby on March 30 would be considered but connections also are interested in the Kentucky Oaks. Divine Image isn’t an original nominee to that race but can be supplemented in coming weeks.

While Divine Image is an emerging horse for Godolphin, Blue Point is an established star, and he is cruising toward favoritism March 30 in the Al Quoz Sprint, a race from which he was scratched at the gate because of a physical problem. Blue Point won his first start this winter, a 1000-meter turf sprint, with utter ease and was much the best again Saturday in the 1200-meter, straight-course Nad Al Sheba Sprint. Under Buick, Blue Point rolled into contention not far from the outside rail and was hand-ridden to a three-length score over the very capable Ekhtiyaar.

Blue Point, timed in 1:10.15 over good going, is a 5-year-old by Shamardal and out of Scarlett Rose, by Royal Applause.