Tomorrow is the fifth meeting of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival – first race 9:00am ET.
Meydan Overview & Selections – Week 5:
Hot Rod Charlie was a short-priced winner here on the Dubai blog last week. In winning he thrust himself firmly into the World Cup picture and if Life Is Good fails to turn up, he will most likely go off favourite for the big race at the end of March.
Five selections this week on an excellent 7 race card with the UAE 2000 Guineas, the Singspiel Stakes & the Curling Stakes taking centre stage. Good luck!
10:10am (ET) Meydan: Bendoog
A pacey front-runner drawn in stall 1 on the dirt here at Meydan is usually a potent weapon and given the pace that Bendoog showed on his debut he should be able to take full advantage of his draw. He won his maiden here in mid-January and that form is working out well. The third, Withering, won the Al Bastikiya trial last week in good style and Bendoog thrashed him by more than 10 lengths in that maiden. He is bred to be useful on Dirt being by Gun Runner out of a Mineshaft mare and must be supported here to back up that impressive debut win despite the step up in class. He rates as a solid play here.
10:45am (ET) Meydan: Modern News
On paper this horse looks to be the second string for Charlie Appleby behind the useful course winner D’Bai, but he figures to get a much better trip than that horse and for me is favoured here. James Doyle rides and the horse comes here on the back of three smooth victories in the UK. Those wins were achieved in decent company and there is no doubt he is ready for this Listed level. He travels very strongly in his races and stall 1 will help him adopt the perfect stalking trip. In contrast D’Bai needs to overcome stall 11 after a below par run when last seen at Newmarket. Modern News is the right play here on this occasion in a race that is fiercely competitive.
11:20am (ET) Meydan: Salute the Soldier
This horse should improve from his debut effort when fifth to Golden Goal in Round 1 of the Maktoum Challenge. That was his first run for 10 months and Adrie De Vries was not hard on him once victory was not possible. The rail on the dirt was very good that day and he was forced to race wide in the home straight which also didn’t help his cause. He should strip fitter now and a return to the form that saw him win Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge last season would be good enough to take this. Dubai Icon and Rebel’s Romance provide tough opposition, but this can go to the consistent Salute the Soldier.
11:55am (ET) Meydan: Lord Glitters
I will take a chance that this classy grey can get the set up that he requires and land another big prize. The key to him is a decent gallop from which he can close strongly from the back of the field. When he gets the right scenario he is bordering on Group 1 class and with plenty of pace on here he could get exactly what he wants. He renews rivalry with Zakouski whom he beat in this last year – Zakouski then turned the tables in the Al Rashadiya where the pace scenario was all against Lord Glitters. A wide draw is of little concern given his hold up style and jockey Danny Tudhope gets a great tune out of him. He looks sure to run a big race.
12:30pm (ET) Meydan: Canvassed
This horse is a classy sprinter. He won the Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday last season and then was an excellent third in the Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night. His reappearance was a little underwhelming behind Al Tariq in the Dubawi Stakes, but it’s entirely possible that he needed the run and will come on a lot for that effort. There is a lot of pace here courtesy of the wide drawn Al Tariq, Meraas and Bet Law and that should be perfect for this horse who likes to stalk the pace. Jockey Andrea Atzeni has not enjoyed the best of luck at Meydan so far, but this is a chance for him to put his recent experience of the surface to good use. I like Canvassed to overhaul the pacesetters in the run for home.
Happy wagering and thank you for choosing IdaBet.com as you place to wager on the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
