Dubai World Cup Carnival - Night Four Selections

R1 – Al Maktoum Challenge R2 Empowered by IPIC – G1 – 2200M(11F) – Dirt

RB So Rich – Rb Dixie Burning – Versac Py

Not the keenest of Arabian handicappers but I took RB So Rich here in an attempt to go against Versac Py. Rb So Rich likes to sit up front unlike most in this field, so perhaps that will benefit him. Next I selected Rb Dixie Burning, who is two for two at this distance and on all weather but has never run on dirt. He’s only lost twice in a nine-start career so may be a good spot for him. Round out with Versac Py who is a G1 winner on the  dirt but hasn’t won since that race back in March of 2015.

R2 – TB – Handicap – 2410m(10F) – Turf

Prize Money – Rembrandt van Rijn – Majeed

Prize Money is a solid European invader for Godolphin. He was second to Hawkbill in a G3 at Ascot this past summer and was most recently first in a field of fifteen at Doncaster. He gets the mount of Christophe Soumillon which only helps. Next up I will take Rembrandt van Rijn who was  third here in his last to Red Galileo. With the cutback in distance two furlongs I believe he will find himself near the front by the wire.  I will give Majeed the benefit of the doubt when he ran a poor tenth here last out as he was coming in off a long layoff. He has performed well in stakes company in the past and will ideally step up here.

R3 – TB – Al Rashidiya Empowered by IPIC – G2 – 1800M(9F) – Turf

Light the Lights - Promising Run – Earnshaw

Light the Lights was a winner last out here taking the Singspiel Stakes at this distance, getting up to hit the wire in front for Soumillon and de Kock. Promising Run enters for Godolphin coming over from Europe, where he may have been running a bit over her head in G1 races there. Her most recent victory was in a G3 at Veliefendi, and her most recent start was an over-ambitious run in the G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. This class break could bode well for her. Round out with Earnshaw who was a very quick closing third in the Singspiel last out.

R4 – TB – UAE 200 Guineas Trial Empowered by NOVA, an IPIC Group Company – 1400m(7F) – Dirt

Cosmo Charlie – Best Solution – Van der Decken

Cosmo Charlie was dominant in his debut here at Meydan, and runner up Capezzano went on to flatter him by winning his next race. Top choice. Best Solution was second in his last start in the G1 Criterium de Saint Cloud, and prior to that won the G3 Dubai 100 Autumn Stakes.   Round out with Van der Decken who won his last start, his first try on dirt, convincingly over the nice Fly at Dawn. Can’t help but mention Top Score as well who is a son of Hard Spun out of a full sister to Raven’s Pass. Top class family.

R5 – TB – Cape Verdi Empowered by CESPA, an IPIC Group Company – G2 – 1600m(8F) – Turf

Very Special – Realtra – Opal Tiara

Very Special is a solid dual Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed runner who was quite successful here last year. She looks to repeat this year for Godolphin.  Realtra’s trainer Roger Varian has had ten runners at Meydan with three winners, which is to say he means business when he comes over here. This mare won a listed stakes at Deauville in her last start and was only 2.75 lengths behind Esoterique when finishing 5^th in the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes. Round out with Opal Tiara who hasn’t run since finishing 7^th in a G2 at Newmarket in October. Prior to that she was a G3 winner at Goodwood. This may be a hair longer than she wants to run.

R6 – TB – Handicap – 1600M(8F) – Dirt

Heavy Metal – Tumbaga – Frankyfourfingers

Heavy Metal has put in a couple of solid runner-up performances, most recently to the highly impressive North America. This may be his opportunity. Tumbaga has only had two starts on the dirt with a second at Santa Anita, where he began his career.  He is bred to run well on the dirt and gets the mount of expert Christophe Soumillon. Frankyfourfingers has been running in stakes company for so long that it’s about time he got a break. This may be his chance as he exceeds at this distane and drops down in company for the first time in quite a while.

R7 – TB – Handicap – 1200M(6F) – Turf

Jungle Cat – Final Venture - Steady Pace

A salty turf sprint to round out the card. Jungle Cat faces a serious class drop here as he was most recently running in G1 & G2 races over in England, so this should be an easy enough victory for him and from past experience we know he likes Meydan. Final Venture was a winner here in his last race, his first try at Meydan. He should run another solid race here. Steady Pace put in a solid effort recently when running second to Final Venture, beaten a nose. 

Dubai World Cup Carnival - Night Three Selections

R1: District One Trophy – TB – Handicap – 1600m(8F) -  Dirt

Muhtaram – Secret Ambition – Bannock

Muhtaram enters off of a decent second to highly touted North America, who went on to win his next race gamely. Prior to that he had a win over this distance at Meydan and all four of his prior starts he has hit the board here. Secret Ambition was fifth beaten only three lengths in his last start, and from his only effort at the distance he has a win. Bannock started the season off well but his form has deteriorated. May be a decent spot for him here.

R2: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial – TB – Conditions – 1400m(7F) – Dirt

Really Special – Calare – Nomorerichblondes

Really Special appears to be just that, her first two starts were relatively easy wins including in a listed stakes at Newmarket last out. Dirt is always a question but she should be fine. Gets top jock Christophe Soumillon here so she will be given ever chance. Calare is a daughter of Dubawi so dirt should not be a problem, has been running consistently in stakes company with a win last out in a listed stakes at the Curragh. Finally I will round out with Nomorerichblondes who was an impressive maiden winner here upon debut but could only manage fourth against the boys in her last start. Back against the gals could help her. I feel I would be remiss not to mention Voice of Truth, yet another Godolphin starter by Dubawi, though I am taking a stand against her here.

R3: Meydan Sobha Trophy – TB – Handicap – 1000m(5F) – Turf

Harry Hurricane – Medicean Man – Line of Reason

Harry Hurricane makes his first start in the UAE here. Last out he was 13^th of1, beaten 5.25L in a G1 over the distance. However, his connections thought highly enough of him to send him into a G1 off of a series of nice handicap performances that saw him consistently in fields of over 15 horses. His trainer has trained a winner here in the past, this may be another. Medicean Man is a Meydan classic, an 11 year old gelding with 12 wins from 73 lifetime starts. He may be a little over the hill but he is still running in listed stakes back in Europe and has won three times from 13 tries here at Meydan. Line of Reason is another that is never many lengths behind the winner but just has not been hitting the board with any frequency. Still, in a lackluster race he may do it here.

R4: Meydan Sobha – TB – Handicap – 2000m(10F) – Dirt

Triple Nine – Fog of War - Hunting Ground

Triple Nine, a G1 winning Korean invader, heads the field, most recently second beaten only 1.25L in a G1 at Seoul. He is not up against much here and should do well. Fog of War enters for his first start over the dirt, up in the air about whether he will take to it but with Christophe Soumillon on board, you have to think this horse will be given every chance. Hunting Ground has been running decently enough for a while now, the son of Street Cry likes dirt hitting the board three times from six starts, and he was second in his last attempt.

R5: Al Fahidi Fort – G2 – 1400M(7F) – Turf

Noa From Goa - Championship – Flash Fire

Noa From Goa is a Grade 1 winning South African invader for trainer Mike de Kock, who was just beaten two lengths in his last start. He gets top jock Soumillon and de Kock often has them ready to go. Championship heads into the race off of a second place in the Singspiel Stakes here on January 5^th, and taken out of his usual running style by being sent to the lead. Could make a big splash here. Flash Fire was an impressive winner in his last outing, a handicap a couple weeks ago, and retains top jock William Buick.

R6: District One – TB – Handicap – 1200m(6F) -  Dirt

Main Stay – Giftorm – Seoul Bullet

Taking two Korean horses on top here starting with Main Stay, a son of Tale of the Cat coasting in off of two wins. Stands a good chance here. Next up is Giftorm, who is a consistent stakes competitor with a good record of hitting the board. Follow up with Seoul Bullet, another South Korean who makes the trek and was a close second to Main Stay last out.

R7: District One Mansions – TB – Handicap – 2000m(10F) – Turf

Huge Future – Folkswood – Rio Tigre

Huge Future for Godolphin has been running consistently well at this distance with two wins and a second from three starts. He is a lightly raced son of Shamardal who may have gone a little too far when stretching out an extra 400m in his last start, returns to ideal distance here. Second dam is a MG1W, champion three-year-old filly in England as well as Champion older mare for two consecutive years, Time Charter.  Folkswood is another Godolphin horse making his first start at Meydan, also lightly raced, second at this distance in his last start by a length. Round out with Rio Tigre who was third in his last start to upset Frenchie Golden Wood.

Dubai World Cup Carnival - Second Night Selections

R1- National Industrial Park – TB –Maiden 1600M(8F) – Dirt
Fawree – Mazeed – Bee Jersey

Fawree enters off of a huge runner up effort when losing his debut race to Godolphin’s Cappezano. The Candy Ride colt was fast closing for second, and with the added distance here should come out on top for coniditioner Mike de Kock. Stablemate Mazeed has hit the board in his last two starts, both to impressive winners in Cosmo Charlie and Somerset House. He definitely needs to up his game here but should run well. Bee Jersey is a well bred son of Jersey Town for Charles Fipke who disappointed me in his initial start last out. Hopefully with some experience behind him now he won’t fade as poorly on the lead.

R2 – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal – TB – Handicap – 2810M(14F) - Turf
Curbyourenthusiasm - Red Galileo – Carbon Dating

Curbyourenthusiasm is a European invader for David Simcock, with Jamie Spencer at the helm. He is the only horse in the field who has ever really fared well at this distance before, and there must be a reason Simcock sent him over.  Red Galileo ships over to Dubai as a six year old Godolphin trainee. He has run in a series of listed and Group 3 races, never too far back but not necessarily hitting the board. Today’s distance is a bit further than his usual but with the addition of Galileo in the pedigree I don’t doubt he is capable. With Christophe Soumillon getting the mount, this gelding could easily find himself in the winner’s circle. Carbon Dating ran a bang up race last out when losing by a short head to French invader Golden Wood, and although this is a short amount of time to turn him back in, chances are he hits the board.

R3 – JAFZA – TB – Handicap – 2000M(10F) – Turf
Brabbham – Ostaad – New Strategy

A rather uninspiring field has led me to select Brabbham, a brother of Havre de Grace, as the top choice. He is the only horse heading into the race in good form, off of a third and a win. He has never tried dirt but could adjust accordingly. Ostaad has a win and a second from three starts over the turf, although he has not run on it in quite a while. A switch back to the surface could improve his form here. Round out with New Strategy, who has been soundly beaten in his past few starts, but faces unchallenging competition.

R4 – Mina Hamriya – TB – Handicap – 16000M(8F) – Dirt
North America – Wildcat Red – Power Blade

North America has been absolutely dominant in his last two starts, winning by eight lengths or more in each. He sends to the lead and just does not look back. Heading into the race in top form, I would hesitate and say he is due for a bounce, but he may not be. Wildcat Red is a recent import, though he has had almost a year off since finishing seventh in the G3 Fred W. Hooper S. at Gulfstream Park. He has been a solid enough sprinter in the United States, so chances are if he is primed, he will put in a big effort here. Power Blade, a top Korean competitor, tries Dubai for the first time. Though he has won at this distance before, he usually stretches out a bit further. However, he has won a local G2 at this level in his home land, and he is also a Group 1 winner over there.

R5 – Mina Rashid – TB – Handicap – 1600M(8F) – Turf
Tahanee – Fanciful Angel – Belgian Bill

Tahanee is a G3W import from South America for trainer Mike de Kock. Though I’m not usually high on South American form, I’ll give this daughter of Stormy Atlantic a shot. With Christophe Soumillon at the helm she will get every available assist. Fanciful Angel returns to Dubai, where he was last seen running seventh but beaten only 4.5L in the G2 Zabeel Mile. Prior to that he won a good handicap at the Carnival, and he enters off lesser European form this year. Belgian Bill also returns, and every time I fail to use him he beats me. Last out he won a local Turkish G2 race, the good old nine-year-old world traveler.

R6 – Dubawi Stakes – TB – Listed – 12000M(6F) – Dirt
Muarrab – Moviesta – Wild Dude

Muarrab made his seasonal debut mid-December, and he probably needed that start. Last year’s G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner faces a tough field here, but past form may prevail. Moviesta tries dirt for the first time in his career at seven-years-old, though as a son of Hard Spun out of an AP Indy mare he should take easily to it. He was second in a listed stakes in October, and he returns to Dubai after one subpar start here two years ago. Wild Dude, the G1W sprinter from the United States, makes his first start in Meydan in the listed Dubawi Stakes.  He enters off a bit of a layoff, running ninth in his first start abroad last out. I will be intrigued to see if he bounces into form here.  I can’t get through this race without mentioning Reynaldothewizard, who is now 11 years old and still contesting stakes company. He may be a bit past his prime, or he may very well beat me here. He is a hard knocking, consistent horse who is lightly raced considering his age.

R7 – Jebel Ali Port – TB – Handicap – 1200M(6F) – Turf
Gordon Lord Byron – Sole Power – Roicead

Gordon Lord Byron is my favorite poet,  and his racehorse namesake is a hard knocking world traveler. The nine-year-old gelding unfortunately withdrew from his attempted first start here last week but he returns now to a salty, big field of horses. He has been off form recently but at this distance with his back class he is still a major threat. Sole Power invades from Europe and while I should probably have selected him on top, from 11 career starts at Meydan he has only managed one win. Still, he will be right there at the wire. Roicead enters off a long, long layoff, but has had solid Meydan form in the past.

R8 – Mina Rashid Marina – TB – Handicap – 2000M(10F) – Turf
Majeed – Sanshaawes – Master the World

Majeed, another world traveler, was fourth in his last start at Woodbine in the G1 Northern dancer Turf S., and prior to that he was second in a listed race and third in the G3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood. If it weren’t for his poor form in Meydan last year I would have more faith in this selection. Sanshaawes, a Mike de Kock classic, was fourth in his seasonal debut just a week ago. He probably needed the start and if his conditioner is content enough to put him right back in, I have faith, especially with Soumi on deck. Master the World has been continuously hitting the board in his last three starts, two of which were listed, and he has hit the board in four of six starts at this distance.

Dubai World Cup Carnival - First Night Selections

R1: Al Maktoum Challenge – PA – G1 – 1600m(8F) – Dirt

Shateh – AF Mathmoon  - RB Burn

Pretty unoriginal selections here. Shateh comes in to the race off a two race win streak. Running style is send to the lead and see if anyone can catch him – last out he won the G2 Bani Yas by 5.75 lengths over Af Mathmoon, who won this race last year but has tailed off a little in recent form.  Despite that he is still superior to the majority of the field. Worrisome that his jockey is 0 wins from 47 starts at Meydan. Round out with RB Burn, who comes in off a G1 victory in Abu Dhabi, his first and only start on dirt.

R2: Longines La Grande Classique – TB – Handicap – 2410(~12F) – Turf

Desert God – Rio Tigre – Carbon Dating

Desert God, India’s champion, comes in off of a nine race win streak. It is not often that Indian-bred and raced horses are seen outside of their home country, but Desert God is a worthy adversary to the international field gathered here. With his electric turn of foot and absolute dominance (his last victory a 7.75L demolition of an Indian G1 field) he looks to transfer his form to Dubai, and there is a high likelihood he may do just that. Rio Tigre hasn’t raced since last year’s Carnival, but he cuts back in distance here and will potentially relish the shortening up. Carbon Dating enters off back to back victories at Abu Dhabi. His connections obviously had high hopes for him in the past as he raced in G1 company against the likes of Golden Horn and Gleneagles, but they never came to fruition as he remained a maiden until last year. He seems to be getting better with age however and retains jockey Tadhg O’Shea, who piloted him to his last two victories.

R3: Longines Passion in Equestrian – TB – Handicap – 1900M(~9.5F) – Dirt

Storm Belt – Saltarin Dubai – Sharpalo

Storm Belt demolished the field in his last start, The Entisar Stakes, for trainer Doug Watson. Watson has been on fire recently at Meydan. Saltarin Dubai, a new de Kock trainee recently purchased privately by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, makes his first start in Dubai. He has not run since his victory in the G1 Gran Premio Estrellas Classic at Palermo in Argentina, which is the Argentinian equivalent of the Breeders’ Cup. He now has four wins from six starts and is piloted by top international jock Christophe Soumillon. Sharpalo has placed in his last four starts, including a victory, and he has a win from this distance.

R4: Longines Master Collection – TB – Handicap – 1000M(~5F) – Turf

Ertijaal – Caspian Prince – Spirit Quartz

Ertijaal hasn’t run since last year’s carnival, where he rode a four race win streak prior to finishing second by three-quarters of a length to Buffering in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint. If he duplicates last year’s form he will be incredibly difficult to beat in this spot. He has Jim Crowley in the irons, winless from 47 starts in Dubai, so that is a slight question mark, but he still looks to be a solid runner for Godolphin. Caspian Prince, the eight year old seasoned veteran, is back at Meydan to try his luck again as he did in 2016 and 2015. Prior to his last start he strung together three consecutive victorious going the distance, including in a listed stakes at Dundalk, albeit on the all weather surface. He is a hard knocker who likes to send to the lead. Spirit Quartz, a nine year old gelding, hasn’t run at Meydan since 2013, but returns as a more seasoned horse four years later to try again. With a first and second from his last two starts in France in lesser company than his usual stakes performances, he seems to be competitive here, and gets the bug jockey Julian Resimont for a weight break.

R5: Al Maktoum Challenge R1 – TB – G2 – 1600M(8F) – Dirt

Fitzgerald – Emotionless – Polar River

Round One of the Al Maktoum Challenge brings about a crew of old faces and a couple new ones.  I selected Fitzgerald in this race, who won his last start, The Dubai Creek Mile, a listed stakes, easily by 5.25L. Next up is Emotionless, the Charlie Appleby trainee for Godolphin who is reportedly taking well to dirt. He has been performing in Group company over in England, albeit he has not won or placed since his last victory in September of 2015 at Doncaster, where he won the G2 Champagne Stakes. His dam, Unbridled Elaine, won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, so his pedigree suggests that he should have an affinity for dirt. Round out with Polar River who was a little off form on her return to the races in her last start but is set up to rebound here.

R6: Singspiel Stakes – TB – 1800M(9F) – Turf

Championship – Light the Lights – Silent Attack

I took Championship on top here as he came out of his last start, a listed stakes, with a victory. He has not run at this distance yet but I think he will likely manage. Retains the mount of Colm O’Donoghue. Wins on turf one-third of the time. Light the Lights is next up, a South African trainee for de Kock/Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who was last seen running fourth in a G1 in South Africa almost a year ago. Has a win at this distance. Silent Attack rounds out the selections, a Group placed son of Dream Ahead.

R7: Longines Dolce Vita – TB – 1400M(7F) – Turf

American Hope – Arcanada - Ghaamer

I took American Hope here. He won last out against Championship who came back to win a listed stakes. He has been running well in Meydan and gets Christophe Soumillon, one of the best, to pilot him. Arcanada is a decent sprinter with two wins and a third from four starts at this distance. Ghammer drops down out of stakes company here which should help him. Won a listed stakes earlier this year then found higher competition to be too tough. Needs this break in class.