Best bets for the horse racing at Meydan Friday 10th February – The Dubai Carnival

It has been a quiet week again for me thus far, Berkshire Rocco the only bet when second at Kempton on Wednesday. Things liven up from today though as it is week six of the Dubai World Cup Carnival Friday and it is a decent meeting out at Meydan. It looks a competitive card with several in with chances in all seven races; I have four fancies.

Godolphin owned Falling Shadow, Blue Trail and Brilliant all re-oppose in the opener, a ten-furlong handicap on the Turf, after meeting over the course and distance on week four. Add New Comedy and Zaman to the mix and you have a fiendishly difficult handicap that I am steering clear of. The Same can be said of the Handicap on the Dirt at 2.35, you can make a case for three or four whilst the Dubai Trophy at 3.10 looks at the mercy of Al Dasim and he is unbackable.

At 3.45 we are on the Dirt track for the 1m2f Curlin Handicap. White Wolf caught the eye over the trip on the Turf course a fortnight ago when he was second beaten a short-head. That was a cracking effort on seasonal debut and with further improvement most likely after just four career starts to date, his mark of 102 might be very lenient, the four-year-old gelding is the one for me making his Dirt debut; he has won at Wolverhampton and Southwell. I am on overnight at 13-2. Interesting fact he will be Godolphin’s first dirt runner of this years Carnival. Hypothetical is the class act in the line-up, won a couple of races here last year including the G.1 R.3 Al Maktoum Challenge over track and trip, but he’s off the track since the Dubai World Cup last March and he has to give away chunks of weight for this.

Race of the day is at 4.20 in the Turf the 5f Group Two Blue Point Sprint Stakes. Defending Champ and Triple G favourite Lazuli heads a field of 13 in the 5f Group Two Blue Point Sprint on the Turf at 4.20. The six-year-old won the Listed Dubai Dash over track and trip earlier this Carnival and clearly enjoys himself on this five-furlong strip. If there is a negative it has to be that he is drawn low, historically a higher draw here is of benefit but it’s not a huge field and a lot of the early dash is likely to be his side. William Buick should be able to get him in a nice spot early and the six-year-old can see this field off. I have the standout 6-4 overnight with Hills. Man Of Promise has shown plenty of promise but a couple of little ducks next to his name tell the story of his Carnival to date. He couldn’t live with Lazuli in the Listed Dubai Dash and I am convinced he is better over six so he looks destined for the places again. The score between the Charlie Appleby-trained speedsters is currently one win apiece, with Man Of Promise coming out on top in last year’s Listed Dubai Sprint before Lazuli turned the tables in this season’s Ertijaal Dubai Dash. Charlie Appleby said: “Both Lazuli and Man Of Promise go into the Blue Point Sprint in good order. We know Lazuli is tried and tested over five furlongs at Meydan and this is his optimum trip. He is in great form and, even with his draw in stall one, he has speed horses around him and looks the one to beat. Man Of Promise ran a good solid race over this distance in the Ertijaal Dubai Dash and seems to be taking his racing better these days.”

The Group Three mile UAE 2000 Guineas at 4.55 on the Dirt sees a couple of promising types lining-up. Tiger Nation won the trial over 7f last month but was able to make every yard from stall one that night and won’t have it so easy breaking from nine here. Shirls Bee has run just the once but it was a winning debut over track and trip in December and he looked like one with a future. Six behind him that day have won subsequently so the form looks above average. Doug Watson likes to take a big pot or two at this meeting and he can claim another with this chestnut colt. I am on at 15-8 overnight.

The lucky last at 5.30 is the 7f Business Bay Challenge Listed Stakes. Modern News gets an ease in class and trip stepping down from the G2 Zabeel Mile he ran in last month. He has won me a few quid over the years, rarely runs a bad race, and from stall one here will surely be in the shake-up. I have 7-2 overnight that he can get back to winning ways. I Am Superman is feared along with Land Of Legends.

Be lucky