Nutella Fella, who won the Pelican Stakes at Tampa earlier this month, received an invitation to the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen and will make his next start in that six-furlong race on April 5 at Meydan, trainer Gary Contessa said Monday. Nutella Fella scored an upset win in the Grade 1 Hopeful at 70-1 odds in 2023 and has made just three starts since, as he’s been hindered by a hind ankle injury. The Pelican, which Nutella Fella won by a neck on Feb. 8, came after he finished second in an allowance race on Jan. 11. “He’s got three wins, a second, and a third in five starts. He deserves that shot,” Contessa said. “He came back good. That ankle is perfect.” :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Among the horses Nutella Fella will face in the Golden Shaheen is Straight No Chaser, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner who made a good-looking return to the races in Saturday’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia. “I think he’s a really nice horse. So is ours,” Contessa said. “I think [Nutella Fella] rises to the level of competition.” Contessa said U.S.-based horses shipping to Dubai leave from Kentucky on March 22. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.