Nigel Tinkler was delighted with Acklam Express’s comeback effort at Meydan on Friday and is looking forward to running him twice more at the Dubai course next month.

The four-year-old only found the race-fit Lazuli too good by a length and a half in the Blue Point Sprint, on his first start for 248 days.

Acklam Express had finished second to Equilateral in that Group Two race 12 months ago and will continue to follow the same route as in 2021 by going for the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday (March 5) followed by the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night three weeks later.

He was third in both contests last year.

“He ran very nicely. I couldn’t be more pleased and he stays out there now. He’s going to run on Super Saturday and then World Cup night, all being well,” said Malton-based Tinkler. “He’s bucking and squealing so we’re happy.”

Plans after the Dubai campaign remain fluid.

“I think we’ll give him a little break when he gets back. I don’t think we’ll get him ready for the Duke of York. We might wait for Ascot probably. We’ll play all that by ear,” Tinkler added.

“If we can get some money in the pocket, we’ll be very happy.”