Ed Marnane
First run in 2011, the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, Friday’s highlight at Meydan, has been a key local prep for the Godolphin Mile.
Recent winners Secret Ambition (2021) and Heavy Metal (2018) landed the Firebreak en-route to winning Group 2 dirt showpiece on Dubai World Cup night, along with Godolphin’s Skysurfers and South African superstar Variety Club, who all won both races.
Salem bin Ghadayer, who is seeking back-to-back wins after Hypothetical made all 12 months ago, runs Ever Given and Mister Saint-Paul, a €230,000 (R4.3m) purchase at Arc Arqana Sale. Stable jockey Mickael Barzalona, who is operating at impressive 22% strike-rate at Meydan this season, has chosen to ride Ever Given.
Formerly trained by Hugo Palmer, he faces a stiff task on his local/dirt debut in this company, and makes little appeal, despite hailing from a yard in top form.
Four years ago Muntazah gave Doug Watson his only success in the Firebreak Stakes, and the American is three-handed in this year’s renewal with the veteran Thegreatcollection, Dubai Creek Mile winner Prince Eiji and Everfast, the choice of Pat Dobbs.
The last-named, a winner over the course and distance, ran well in defeat in Round I of the Al Maktoum Challenge, staying on to finish nine lengths behind Algiers. He demands respect in first-time visor and should enjoy a ground-saving trip from gate No 2.
Law Of Peace spearheads Bhupat Seemar’s three-pronged assault and has the assistance of stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea, who has opted to partner the gelding ahead of Al Maktoum Challenge runner-up Discovery Island and Imperial Empire.
Winner of two of his three races on dirt at Meydan, he lacks a recent run having been off the track wince winning the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship 10 months ago. A tough and consistent type, he should run well under conditions he clearly handles.
It is hard to ignore Discovery Island’s claims under Antonio Fresu.
He made an encouraging comeback after a lengthy break in the aforementioned opening leg of the Al Maktoum Challenge when second to Algiers, 2.50 lengths ahead of Everfast. By Dubawi, the top sire on dirt at Meydan, he is entitled to strip fitter for the run and is one to consider.
Man Of Promise gets a confident vote to defend his Dubai Sprint crown for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.
Following a 174 break, he ran well in the Dubai Dash three weeks ago, just finding stable companion Lazuli too strong in the Listed contest.
The US-bred son of Into Mischief will appreciate stepping up to 1200m, and will take plenty of stopping, especially from a favourable high draw in stall No 14.
The inaugural running of the Jumeriah Fillies Classic has attracted a field of 12 and Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj, rated 109, sets the standard. She’s a smart filly and enjoyed a tremendous juvenile campaign in the UK last year, winning Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and ended her season with a fine third in the Group 1 Cheveley Parks. She will prove hard to beat if seeing out the 1400m trip, a distance over which she’s unproven.
The Charlie Appleby-trained pair Dream Of Love and Glory Lilly merit respect. The former, the choice of William Buick, was Listed placed last year and is open to plenty of improvement having only her third start.
Glory Lilly, the mount of Mickael Barzalona, impressed on her only run, winning a novice stakes at Lingfield last month. She’s a well-bred filly, being by Shamardal and a half-sister to Botanik, a Group 2 winner and runner-up in the Hong Kong Vase.
Appleby and Buick team up with Naval Crown in the Jumeriah Classic, Race 7. Rated 110, he can bounce back after disappointing run in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, where he had valid excuse having bled. He was unbeaten until flopping at Newmarket and had established himself as one of the leading two-year-olds in Europe last year.
Long Kiss, who must concede weight to his eight rivals being a Southern Hemisphere-bred three-year-old, caused a big shock in the trial when swooping fast and late to catch Felix Natalis in the dying strides on his turf debut. He left the impression he would appreciate going up in distance and holds each-way claims.
Highbank, Naval Crown’s stable companion, caught the eye in the prep. Breaking slowly, he ran on strongly up the rails in the closing stages to finish 0.50 lengths behind the winner. If he can avoid a tardy start, he can emerge the chief threat to Naval Crown.
Rounding off the card is competitive 1400m handicap on dirt. The lightly raced Fast-Uno, the only three-year-old in the line-up, switches to dirt after a respectable effort behind the impressive Al Dasim on turf. He was no match for the winner but it was a performance that offered encouragement, keeping on nicely in the closing stages on his local debut. He will be suited being back on dirt, a surface he’s 2-3 in Uruguay. He’s very unexposed and can score on his handicap debut.
BEST BET
Race 2 No 1 Man Of Promise
VALUE BET
Race 7 No 4 Highbank
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 1-Man Of Promise and 5-Motafaawit
JACKPOT
(Races 5 to 8)
R72
Leg 1: 7, 9, 11, 12
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5
Leg 3: 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 7, 9