Best bets for the horse racing from Meydan the Dubai Carnival and Chelmsford City Thursday 2nd January 2020
The Dubai World Cup Carnival gets underway at Meydan racecourse Thursday 2nd January 2020. We have a total of nine Thursday evening meetings to enjoy and the carnival builds to Super Saturday on March 7th and of course Dubai World Cup night Saturday 28th March. It is again the world richest horse race worth $12 Million.
Unbelievably it is the 25th edition of the Dubai World Cup; it was way back in 1996 when Cigar ridden by Jerry Bailey won the first running at Nad Al Sheba - it shows my age a bit I suppose as I consider the 90’s recent! It’s some pretty decent racing straight away with Listed and Group action on the first evening.
The first race of 2020 Carnival is the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial at 2.30 over 7f on the dirt. Final Song goes for Saeed bin Suroor and she was also entered for the G.3 Dubawi Stakes later so the fact she comes for this is seen as a positive. Her form when placed at Group 2 level in the summer is the best on show and I think she can put her poor run in the Oh So Sharp Stakes behind her and win this and have the 7-2. Saeed bin Suroor said on the Godolphin website “Final Song ran some very good races in the UK last season and looks to be in good form heading into the trial for the UAE 1,000 Guineas. Seven furlongs will suit and we are looking for a good run, although we have to see how she copes with the dirt."
The Listed Meydan over 7f appears to be an ideal opportunity for Suedois to make a winning debut in the UAE. The gelding has a G.1 victory to his name and is on paper 11lb in here on the OR’s. Not perhaps the force he once was he has to be taken seriously in this and I have 11-4. Dubai Legacy is feared.
At 4.50 it is the 6f Group Three Dubawi Stakes on the dirt track. Drafted jumped off the page at me whilst I was looking at the entries earlier this week as I tipped him for this last year – finished second. I, in fact, tipped him on all four of his runs last year out here, his couple of G.3 wins during the carnival and also when fifth in the G.1 Golden Shaheen. He is currently sixth in the betting for that race on DWC Night at the end of March and I think he will get his campaign off to a winning start here and I am on at 15-8.
The lucky last is the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic over 1m4f. Saeed bin Suroor trained Mountain Hunter went well here last season and has to enter calculations. Arguably a career best performance when winning a Listed race at Newmarket last time I have the 3-1 about the track and trip winner. Again talking on the Godolphin website Saeed bin Suroor said “Mountain Hunter won a Listed contest on his latest outing and really enjoys racing at Meydan. He has done well since coming back out to Dubai and a mile and a half suits him. We have been happy with his preparation and I am looking for another good result from him."
They also race on the Polytrack here in the UK at Lingfield Park and Chelmsford City. I am having the one bet, a little ironically a Godolphin horse here in the UK on the opening day of the Carnival in Dubai. I recently tipped up First Winter (2nd) and Tolmount (4th) on their respective debuts for Charlie Appleby. Both were entered in the lucky last the one-mile 7.30 Book Tickets At chelmsfordcityracecourse.com Novice Stakes along with the unraced Al Maysan. The one that runs is debutant Al Maysan a bay colt by Dubawi out of winning mare Perfect Light. He is a brother to useful winner Nashirah and fancied to get off to a winning start here at 9-2.
Be lucky