Former Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Dale Romans is excited by the rare sight of an American three-year-old gracing the Nad Al Sheba dirt on Saturday as his colt Massive Drama prepares for the $2million UAE Derby.

Assistant trainer Henrietta Steele has already received a multitude of praise for the outstanding appearance of Massive Drama after the son of Kafwain arrived from Florida on Wednesday.

And after Romans, who trained 2005 World Cup winner Roses in May, watched Massive Drama at a sun-drenched Nad Al Sheba on Tuesday, he was also delighted with the showing from the Ahmed Zayat-owned colt.

"Mr Zayat has several three-year-old's who were hitting all there Derby prep in America and this is one of his better horses and he wanted to try and come over here and win a race so it made a lot of sense to keep the ones in America separated and give him a shot at a big purse," said Romans, who still rates the 2005 triumph as the biggest night of his career.

"He looks super. I got in on Monday and I can't believe how good he looks, he looks very happy."

Formerly trained by two-time Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Bob Baffert, Massive Drama recently transferred to Romans and will be having his first under his care at the $21million World Cup meeting.

Massive Drama, who has finished third in both his starts this year, will face tough competition on Saturday from older Southern Hemisphere-breds, including Mike De Kock's UAE classic winners Honour Devil and Royal Vintage as he seeks to become the first American-based horse to win the UAE Derby.

"It is definitely going to be a tough race with the Southern Hemisphere horses being a lot older. But after today's work and after seeing him I am getting more and more excited," added Romans.

"He is tough. He has run with the best American horses and he ran competitively in every race."

Romans also played down any concerns Massive Drama would struggle with the Nad Al Sheba track which differs from the tight turning American circuits.

And he will only have to look at the way Roses in May defied the long Nad Al Sheba straight to hold off challenges from Choctaw Nation and Dynever and win the World Cup by three lengths for proof.

"The biggest thing here is the long three-eighths of a mile stretch, it is different to anything in America. Also the one-turn mile and an eighth which doesn't happen often in America," said Romans.

"But the way he worked over the racetrack it didn't look like it bothered him at all. I feel good about him."

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