Dubai Duty Free 2014

4.39 Meydan 

Dubai Duty Free Sponsored By Dubai Duty Free (Group 1) (Turf) (Class 1)  (3YO plus) 
Winner 10,477,013 AED 

Advice: 2 pts win Just a Way (7/2 general) 

Mshawish: Fourth at big prices in Prix Du Jockey Club and then St James’ Palace; Not quite shown the same form in two French starts since but hinting at a big effort in the UAE, where he might have beaten Aneribio (benefit of a run behind him) with a clear run and then bolting up in 1m group 2 latest; Whole different calibre of opposition here but can’t be underestimated at all.

Just A Way: One of Asia’s newest racing superstars, not having the pace to catch Eishin Flash before smashing subsequent Japan Cup winner Gentildonna in the Tenno Sho last year; Folloowed that up with easy trial win there when technically posting a career best and the one to be in no uncertain terms; Should go well.

Anerobio: Making hay over 7f earlier this year, beating Mashawish (albeit with fitness on his side and under the belt) before limp show in handicap; Redeemed himself with third behind far more progressive stablemate in Jebel Hatta when he faded from the lead; Likely to do similar here.

The Fugue: Many near misses but now well established as a global performer, and bounced back from poor beginning to season to win Yorkshire Oaks in style and then land Irish Champion Stakes in style; Agonisingly close to victory in Breeders’ Cup Turf when possibly kicking for home a touch too early and fine ride saw her mown down in shadow of post, before blocked runs cost her in Hong Kong vase; Clearly the class to go here but dropping back to 9 furlongs may not be what she wants.

Educate: Decent run in one of the key World Cup trials latest but still just a handicapper before then and others preferred.

Tokei Halo: Crack front runner who lives off getting the lead but when he does is an extremely formable opponent as rivals in the Sapporko Kinnel found out when he obliterated them on way to hat trick; Pressure for the lead saw him crumble in Tenno Sho but gave Akeed Mofeed an strong race at Sha Tin before exertions of trying to make up for slow early start; Clear that if he can get comfortable on the lead, he will take some passing, albeit that’s a big ‘if’; Interesting.

Trade Storm: UAE regular now with plenty to recommend him as a high class group horse, most notably when fourth from his wide draw last year in race that didn’t go to plan for him; Needs things to drop his way still thought and doubtful if he’s at the same level as some of these here.

Tasaday: One of many French recruits for Godolphin, high class for Andre Fabre, a triple group race winner and short head group 1 second; Didn’t look full of speed when behind Educate on UAE debut and then got there in Listed contest over one furlong further; Not sure she’s good enough.  

Blazing Speed: Ex-Brit who had no excuses when fourth in the Hong Kong Cup, readily outpaced by, amongst others, Tokei Halo; Has to quicken to win today and hard to see that being case; Others preferred.

Dank: The more she’d raced the better she’s gotten and in campaign with only one defeat, won two American Grade 1’s, flat out when landing Breeders’ Cup Filyl and Mare Turf from smart runner up Romantica; Can keep getting better but may want 10 furlongs more than this and a far tougher race; More needed.

Vercingetorix: Winner of Daily News 2000 in South Africa and 2-2 here to make it 6-60 in total when winning Jebel Hatta latest; Don’t know how good he is but this is going to take some serious winning.

Logotype: Dual Grade 1 winner in Japan, with 2,000 Guineas on resume, and shaped decently given season reappearance behind Just A Way on return; Can go well if building on that.

Hunter’s Light: Much more needed despite having won Group 1’s on turf and Tapeta, but come up short when faced with proper top notchers

VERDICT: JUST A WAY’s stunning demolition of Gentildonna in the Tenno Sho is as good as any horse running here and it will take a smashing effort to beat her. The Fugue and Dank may find this trip too short and Vercingetroix, along with Tokei Halo, look to be interesting options. 

Golden Shaeen 2014

3.41 Meydan 

Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (Group 1) (Class 1)  (3YO plus) 

Winner 1,199,997 AED

Advice: 1 pt win Sterling City (11/4 general) 

Krypton Force: Winner of this in 2012 in deeply impressive fashion and then third to Reynaldothewizard last year; But lost form since good Royal Ascot third last year and blinkers now off for visor.

Balmont Mast: The type who needs things to drop exactly right for him but ended a terrific carnival last year with a second in this race last season; Not in the same form since but hasn’t had the pace to chase and handy draw may also help him today in first time visor.

Nawaar: Decent form at Abu Dhabi while also taking a couple of listed events from 7f to 1 mile but looked short of the speed and class required for this when well behind in C&D trial latest.

Sterling City: Just short of top class in Hong Kong but a good solid horse nevertheless who was a place ahead of C&D trial winner Rich Tapestry in the Hong Kong sprint despite getting blocked in the run; Warmed up for this in good style despite being turned over at evens latest (winner had won Group 1 last summer and standard of race was high); Should go very well if OK on Tapeta.

Reynaldothewizard: Superb 2013 rounded off with win in this last year over Balmont Mast; Not at best on return but much better when second to Rich Tapestry latest in C&D trial; Likely to go very well in bid to retain title for all that there’s no reason for him to turn around that form and that puts him behind Sterling City.

Zee Bros: Doesn’t look good enough on the basis of his graded efforts in America and best to look elsewhere.

United Colour:  Based on his well beaten efforts in two Group 3 races over C&D in different trials, unlikely to improve on his fifth in this last year.

Complicate: Multiple 6f-7f turf winner in Australia, including in Listed company who has come from the back the last twice in C&D trials; Faster they go, the better he’ll come late, but looks short on the form front against Rich Tapestry.

Russian Soul: Pace wasn’t anything nearly enough for him against United Colour in January when winner that day was extremely well placed and then followed up with win over Jamesie here in February, but another to fall short in C&D trial latest which puts a cloud over this chances although no doubting he’s capable of being involved with blinkers for cheekpieces swapping an interesting move; Early pace crucial.

Jamesie: Best of these held up for a late gallop (and there were many) in key C&D trail and has previously come second to Russian Soul the time before;  Wide draw might not be the issue some could think and if they go hard enough, capable of coming home fast enough.

My Catch: Useful 2yo last year, Group 3 winner at Deauville; Mixed and matched his trips but massively lacking in speed when seventh behind Shea Shea latest; Far more needed here despite 6f sure to suit better.

Rich Tapestry:  Benefited greatly from front running ride and ground when taking C&D trial but was a very convicting winner and beat many of those in the strongest of the C&D trials run for this; Not sure that he’s going to have things drop so well but clearly capable of getting involved in today’s finish.

Bello:  Latest C&D starts against some of these suggest that he’s good enough to take a major hand.

VERDICT: The early pace of this is going to be vital with so many latecomers in the field, especially Russian Soul and Jamsie, but STERLING CITY’S chances were highlighted by Rich Tapestry’s beating of most of this field in the major C&D trial and the Hong Kong raiders look to be the ones to focus on here.

Al Quoz Sprint 2014

3.30 Meydan

Al Quoz Sprint Empowered By IPIC (Group 1) (Turf) (Class 1)  (3YO plus)

Winner 599,999 AED

Advice: 1 pt win Amber Sky (3/1 general)

Joy And Fun: 2010 winner of this when it was a Group 3 over 6 furlongs but third in 2012 and runner-up last year; Age looks to be getting better of him now however and out of it in Hong Kong sprint when running out of room late.

Sole Power: Second in 2012 and fourth last year before winning King’s Stand at Royal Ascot; Didn’t have things fall right for him during rest of campaign (although still second at Sha Tin over 6f in December) but reappearance run here a fair one and looks to be a good each/way option for those who want value; Can go well.

Sholaan: Loves it at Jebel Ali, posting another couple of very smart wins there this year, but disappointing there latest and turf in this company a completely different matter.

Medician Man: Back to the top of his game this season, landing pair of handicaps off 5 and 6 furlongs (108 and 101 the winning marks) the last twice; Much more on plate now returned to group 1 level but can go well if they murder eachother upfront and that has to be a probability.

Beat Baby: Nowhere in the Group 3 C&D trial latest and hard to see him changing anything here.

Hamza: Career best effort when third in L’Abbaye (just behind Catcall); That the last time we’ve seen him however and would need to improve again off that bare form; Hard to see him lasting home today.

Berlino Di Tiger: Wins over this trip in Brazil (2012) and USA (last year); Showed some blazing speed to last home at Churchill last may but then disappointed twice and this should be too tough for him.

Amber Sky: Hong Kong raider who comes here with fine 5 furlong record (11121462311)and off the back of a deeply impressive win in Centenary Sprint Cup (reached lead, never saw another rival, and eased down latest), Hong Kong’s premier mile championship.

Dux Scholar: Picked many off coming from the rear to take encouraging third place in the trial run over C&D and to be fair likely to have similar pace to run at today, but much higher class of opponents to deal with today and while place effort would be  no surprise, surprise to see him winning.

Catcall: Had the L’Abbaye trail and the main event taken from him in the last strides of the post last season; No lack of speed but both times he’s looked a step behind the best in UAE and the

Athoug: Smart sprinter who has to be given a chance based on two latest efforts, when just held by Median Man and Shea Shea on his last two tries, although he didn’t look as if he was going to turn that form around then (or win at any stage despite getting very close).

Shea Shea: Crack South African Sprinter who has shown his best form on world stage, setting and beating own course record here when landing last year’s renewal and then possibly unlucky not to win a Group  1 in England; Return win was deeply impressive despite diminished margins and draw looks to have played nicely for him; The one to beat.

VERDICT: The outstanding talent in this comes from defending champion Shea Shea and AMBER SKY, who gets a marginal vote on the basis of price. If the Hong Kong speedster can get to or match the lead early he will take some serious pegging back and he can beat the South African raider and Sole Power. Medican Man is best of the rest for us although Dux Scholar could be passing many late and is capable of outrunning his price. 

UAE Derby 2014

2.25 Meydan

UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (Group 2) (Class 1)  (3YO only)

Winner 1,199,997 AED

Advice: 1 pt win Giovanni Boldini (11/4 general)

Safety Check: Behind Emirates Flyer when maybe the gap didn’t come form him but well beaten fourth in the UAE Guineas and not sure that this trip’s going to suit.

Paximadia: Smart in Australia (although not nearly as smart as his stablemate Long John), winner of Listed, Group 3 and Group 2 event; Togne tie now on but didn’t look to be good enough or stay strongly enough in the UAE Guineas and others readily taken over him.

Cooptado: Argentinean Grade 1 win came on the dirt last year over 1m4f, so not sure that tempo and quick likely finish of today’s event to suit; Also form problems.

Long John: One of Australia’s premier 3 year olds,  impressing with his attitude over all others when landing the Caulfield Guineas; Possible that draw may have seen him take extremely keen hold in Cox Plate but didn’t appear to stay 10 furlongs that day; Deeply impressive in UAE Guineas on return when he mascaraed rivals including Emirates Flyer for speed; Will go very well.

Giovanni Boldini: Strong 2 yo career, beaten by 2 Group 1 winners in National stakes and then a close second in Breeders’ Cup juvenile (form also stacks up very well from that event); Yard has awesome record in this event and should be upto going very well; 10 furlongs likely to suit.

Emirates Flyer: Plenty of strong form in UK from last year, not least when second to Kingman in Solario Stakes, but after reappearance win has been destroyed by Long John in UAE 2000 Guineas and Asmar latest; Looks exposed.

Sir Jack Layden: On bare form of Royal Lodge third, would have to be respected and was clearly improving when last seen, but that 2yo form doesn’t stack up to most of the other raiders here and that was a muddling race; Others looking elsewhere.

Toast of New York: Big reputation earned after destroying opposition in two Wolverhampton events by combined total of 28 lengths but that form compares to nothing here and will do well to get the same contested lead; Possible he’s better than shown but still a lot of work to do.

Asmar: Could only tread water when fifth in UAE Guineas behind Long John, but transformed by step upto this trip when smashing Emirates Flyer (second that day) in the Al Bastikiya; Obvious that he can go well today but not sure others won’t enjoy trip as much as him and will have to be about more than stamina.

Sir John Hawkins: Didn’t quite live upto promise of maiden win, beaten favourite on two of next three group starts; But that form is still solid and looked as if he was going to turn into a stayer as a 3yo, so foolish to discount even though stall 10 is a problematic draw.

Jallota: Really strong 2yo sprint form from last season but UAE Guineas ninth suggested that he hadn’t quite trained on or that trip was too much for him; Others preferred despite improved effort latest.

King Rubi: No problems with the trip or the surface for this French 3yo but nothing in his form suggests that he’s good enough and widest draw of all tempers enthusiasm as to his chances.

VERDICT: Caulfield and UAE 2,000 Guineas win show Long John to be a horse of real talent, but it remains to be seen how much will be left in the tank at the end of 10 furlongs today and Aidan O’Brien’s GIOVANNI BOLDINI can give Ballydoyle another win in this event following winners in 2012 and 13. Their Sir John Hawkins proved disappointing last year but should enjoy a change in trip, and he is preferred to Asmar, who was in love with the surface when bolting up in the Al Bastikya latest.