Best bets for the horse racing from Meydan the Dubai Carnival and Chelmsford City Thursday 20th February 2020

They race again at Meydan in Dubai Thursday as the Carnival builds to the big Dubai World Cup night at the end of March. It is once again a decent card with plenty of Group action including two Group Two’s. It looks like there will be a few short ones, and unfortunately, I can’t see anything to take them on with so it might be a day for multiples. For what it is worth here they are. 

The get underway in Meydan at 2.30 our time on the Turf track with the Group 3 1m2f Dubai Millennium Stakes Sponsored By Jaguar. I was surprised to see Ghaiyyath in the line-up as Appleby had said the plan was to take him straight to the Sheema Classic – he does go well fresh. If you ignore his debut, won a fortnight later, the five-year-old is unbeaten when returning from a break of three months or more. He is head and shoulders above these and as he goes so well fresh looks as good a good thing as you will see for a while. Sadly, the Bookies agree as he is 2-5 best!

At 3.40 it is the Group 3 1m1½f UAE Oaks Sponsored By Range Rover on the Dirt track. Dubai Love looks different class to this line-up having won the UAE 1000 Guineas last time. Saeed bin Suroor's filly clearly enjoyed the step up in trip, having finished behind Down On Da Bayou in the trial over 7f, and I fancy the same outcome here with the jolly picking them off in the home straight again the 1m1f trip looking ideal. Evens was the best about early.  

At 4.15 we are back on the Turf for the Group Two 1m Zabeel Mile Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors. This looks between the Appleby pair of Mythical Magic and Zakouski. Mythical Magic was 2nd in the G.2 Al Fahidi Fort last time and he is a proper Group performer. The gelding won this last year off the back of a second in the Al Fahidi Fort and I expect history to repeat itself. 15-8 was about early with Hills. Dream Castle is the danger off the back of his second to Barney Roy 3 weeks ago.

We stick to the Turf for the Group Two 5f Meydan Sprint Sponsored By Land Rover. Equilateral is a pretty decent animal on his day and it was an impressive victory in the Listed Dubai Dash over C&D four weeks ago; Waady two lengths behind in second. That horse, and Rusumaat in third, have both come out and won since franking the form. Hills again were up early but at only 8-15.  

Much, much nearer to home Godolphin had a couple entered up at Chelmsford City in the 8.00 the 1m Only Way Is getitprinted.com Novice Stakes. Charlie Appleby had Law Of Peace entered but he won’t be running leaving the John Gosden trained four-year-old debutant Lord Tennyson. By the deceased Poet's Voice that decent miler who has sired a few good ones and out of Poppet's Passion he’s a half-brother to two winners. I find it very interesting that Godolphin and Gosden have kept him in training so long, especially as they gelded him last November, so they surely most think they can win races with him. He is likely to be short so I suggest grab the best price you can early.  

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