Best bets for the horseracing Friday 19th January 2024

It's all about the All-Weather again here in the UK Friday with Jack Frost playing havoc with the fixture list again. The Dubai Carnival continues on Friday, I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t mind being in Dubai at the moment rather than a very cold UK! Unfortunately I am here in the UK but I can at least enjoy the horseracing from Meydan and hopefully have a winner or two up my sleeve.

Best bet for the horseracing at Meydan

It’s no surprise Godolphin have a handful entered across the card but it doesn't look the strongest squad they will send out during the Carnival. 

Chandigah makes his stable debut in the 6f We One Presesented by DP World Maiden Stakes at 2.05 having shown some ability in Ireland as a two-year-old without winning. The son of Churchill was placed in a G.3 over this trip at the Curragh last summer and a repeat of that form would surely see him breaking his duck in this. New trainer Doug Watson knows the time of day and I am on at 7-4. 

Wild Goddess has a considerable experience edge over her rivals in the mile Cocoa Beach Fillies' Stakes Presented By Jebel Ali Airport on the Dirt at 3.50. Twice a winner over 7f at HQ last year she was a little disappointing in the G.3 Sweet Solera Stakes in between those two victories. I think it’s interesting they try her on Dirt here, not an obvious thing to try looking at her pedigree. If she goes on the surface she has a chance but for me she is best watched until proving herself on the surface. Manama Gold looked a prospect when taking a Conditions race over seven here last month but is odds-on and too short for me all things considered. The race is worth watching to see how these two go with the rest of the Dubai Carnival in mind. 

The mile Group Two Cape Verdi over a mile for fillies and mares on the Turf track at 4.25 is the main event and Charlie Appleby has three entered in this. Fillies and mares in the royal blue silks have won 10 of the 13 editions of the Meydan highlight since it was upgraded to G2 status in 2011, with Sajjhaa and Althiqa both using the mile contest as a springboard to G.1 honours. The unbeaten four-year-old English Rose is the choice of William Buick. She didn’t make debut until May of last year winning a 7f Maiden Fillies' Stakes at HQ and then wasn’t seen again until winning a mile Novice Stakes at Kempton carrying a 7lb penalty in November. The daughter of Frankel and G.1 winner Sobetsu has clearly had issues but appears to also have her fair share of talent. This is by far her biggest test yet but she can prove up to the task and I have the very skinny 4-5. Charlie Appleby said this week “English Rose is two from two and this provides a chance to see how she gets on in Pattern company. She looks to have progressed with each run and has been pleasing us at home. We are dipping our toe at this level to see where we stand for the rest of the year.” I noted the trainer also sayin on the Godolphin website “Shining Jewel will probably appreciate stepping back up in distance following this run, and we have the Balachine more in mind for her. She is ready to start her campaign but will potentially be seen to better effect over a longer trip"; take note. Winner of the Listed Coral Distaff last summer at Sandown Mystic Pearl for William Haggas is the obvious danger.