Life Is Good for trainer Todd Pletcher ahead of Dubai World Cup tilt

Todd Pletcher said Dubai World Cup favourite Life Is Good arrived in the UAE safe and sound and declared himself happy with his stable star's condition as they begin preparations for Saturday's big race.

Life Is Good represents one of the Hall of Fame trainer's best chances to win a first Dubai World Cup, the feature race at one of the richest nights in horse racing.

Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in November, the four-year-old picked up where he left off by defeating Classic hero Knicks Go in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in January.

Following a 13-hour flight from Miami, Life Is Good took a morning gallop around Meydan Racecourse on Tuesday and Pletcher said he was is excited about his chances.

“Our flight was good and as soon as we arrived last night we went to the stables and saw Life Is Good and we were very happy with what we saw of him," he said. "He really looks like he has settled in well.

“I’ve learnt some things over the years of coming here and one of them I think is to do all your work at home. I’ve breezed horses here in the past and I think maybe its been a little counter-productive so we will just have some gallops with him and participate in the night schooling session tonight and go from there.”

Life Is Good is part of a formidable American contingent that also includes Doug O’Neill’s Hot Rod Charlie and the Bob Baffert-trained County Grammer.

Hot Rod Charlie made a successful Dubai debut in round two of the Al Maktoum Challenge last month and looked the part in his latest morning spin.

“He is doing so good right now, he loves this track," said O’Neill’s assistant Leandro Mora.

"He is very calm and quiet when making the walk to the track in the mornings but as soon as he steps on