The Dubai Racing Carnival gets underway at the new Meydan racecourse on Thursday; Nick Wilby picks out the best bet of the day.
The wait for the 2010 Dubai Carnival is finally over and flat racing enthusiasts, me included, can now look forward to six weeks of top quality action from the extravagant Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.
Thursday is very much a fact-finding mission for jockeys and punters, who will have no idea what to expect from the new course or track, so wading in with an open wallet is for the brave only.
However, we should all be wiser when the action comes to a head on Dubai World Cup night on March 5th and there is sure to be a plethora of classy thoroughbreds ready to battle it out on the world’s richest raceday. A number of British horses will be in action over the coming weeks, including the likes of Champion Stakes winner Twice Over and forgotten Epsom Derby sixth, Crowded House.
I am more than interested in keeping an eye on the latter throughout the Carnival and if he takes to the Tapeta surface, punters who have backed the horse at 33/1 for the World Cup could be in for a very enjoyable summer.
However, that is for another day and this evening’s highlight is the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge. A fascinating race, the quality of horses set to go to war in the opening feature shows how far the meeting has come along and the classiest individuals come in the shape of Gloria De Campeao and Midshipman.
Dubai regular Gloria De Campeao has not been seen on the racecourse since finishing down the field in a high class renewal of the Arlington Million back in August. That was a poor run from a horse that had previously finished second behind the mighty Well Armed in the Dubai World Cup before landing the Group 1 Singapore International Airlines Cup at Kranji. He is a hugely talented individual and while odds of 8/1 (Blue Square) are far too big for a horse of his class, his draw could be his undoing at Meydan.
The same applies to 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Midshipman. Last seen finishing third in the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita is form stacks up and it is unsurprising to see he is as low as 5/2 (Blue Square) for this and 20/1 for the Dubai World Cup (Coral).
He represents formidable opposition but is reluctantly opposed with his horrendous draw in mind. He will have to come from stall 14 and will have to be at the peak of his powers on his Dubai debut if he is to win from the car park.
I am happy to oppose him with stablemate and Godolphin second string on jockey bookings, MY INDY (7/1, Bet365). It is not hard to see why Frankie Dettori has passed him over in favour of Midshipman, but it will not have been as easy a decision as people will think and My Indy brings some serious form to the table.
The Argentinean powerhouse was in the form of his life at last year’s Carnival, landing back to back Group 3s at Nad Al Sheba before finishing fifth in the Dubai World Cup. Up in trip for that, he was in with every chance before his run faded turning for home.
The drop back in trip to one mile here will certainly suit (he was idling in front over 1m1f at last year’s Carnival) and with his perfect trip and with a half decent draw (he will leave from stall nine), Ted Durcan is taken to pile the misery on Frankie Dettori on the opening night of the meeting.
Expect Premier Loco (8/1, Blue Square) to be finishing very fast indeed from stall 12 and don’t rule out Sussex Stakes fourth Forgotten Voice (8/1, Ladbrokes) who is certain to improve this season. A seven length defeat at the hands of an in-form Rip Van Winkle would likely be good enough to land this.
Nick Wilby’s advice – Back My Indy each-way at odds of 7/1 (Bet365)
