Best bets for the horse racing from Meydan the Dubai Carnival Thursday 23rd January 2020
They race again at Meydan in Dubai as the Carnival continues to the big Dubai World Cup night at the end of March. I am once again getting involved as there are 3 That I think you simply have to backed. A few of the Bookies are up early and I am on.
The first race for thoroughbreds is the 1m1f Grade Two Al Rashidiya Sponsored By Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal on the Turf track at 3.05. Barney Roy makes his seasonal bow and you would expect Charlie Appleby would have him cherry ripe. He certainly should have too much for this line-up if anywhere near his best and I have taken the 8-11. Loxley and Dream Castle were well held in the Zabeel Turf two weeks back and on that form are best watched for now.
We stay on the Turf track at 3.40 for the Meydan Cup Sponsored By P & O Marinas Listed Handicap over 1m6f. Dee Ex Bee left Mark Johnston and joined the Salem bin Ghadayer stable in Dubai for this winter and the Carnival. At the time Johnston said: "We're used to having horses join Godolphin from here over the years but Salem bin Ghadayer is Sheikh Hamdan's main trainer out there so I understand Dee Ex Bee and the others have joined him. We've been told we'll be getting them back next year and hopefully they'll do well out there. There looks as if there's only one main race that Dee Ex Bee can go for which is the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night." The consistent five-year-old only found Stradivarius too good in the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup in 2019 and though this trip is a little on the short side for him he is the class act on show. Get on at 13-8.
At 5.25 it is the 6f Group Three Al Shindagha Sprint Sponsored By Dp World UAE Region on the dirt. Drafted goes again and I am of course a fan of the gelding. I have tipped him up a few times over the last two carnivals and did so when he was third in the Dubawi Stakes earier this month. Last year he got beat in the Dubawi and won this and I expect a bit of Deja vu! Get on at 9-4.
Be lucky