Ed Marnane
Marbaan and Mysterious Night, first and second in the Al Fahidi Fort in January, renew rivalry in the Ras Al Khor, the Group 3 showpiece of racing at Meydan on Friday.
The last-named, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, is fancied to get his revenge on Marbaan on 1.5kg better terms and register his first success since winning the Al Fahidi Fort at Meydan 13 months ago.
Appleby, operating at a remarkable 33% strike-rate at Meydan this year, continues to bang in the winners and he sent out four winners at Meydan’s latest fixture, Super Saturday six days ago. Appleby can record his first win in the Ras Al Khor, 12 months after Godolphin’s Noble Dynasty, the warm favourite, ran fifth behind shock winner Fort Payne.
Michael Costa’s Marbaan was given a terrific ride by James McDonald to narrowly prevail in the Al Fahidi Fort, lowering the track record when coming fast and late to defeat Mysterious Night and Andres Vesalius. Marbaan, who began his career with Newmarket handler Charlie Fellows, has been lightly raced this season and comes into this race a fresh horse.
He commands plenty of respect in the hands of Ray Dawson for owner Sheikh Ahmad Al Maktoum.
Kubrick, formerly trained in the US by Chad Brown, is an interesting runner, one of two for Musabbeh Al Mheiri. By Dubawi, he was a smart juvenile in France and enjoyed success at Group 3 winner at Longchamp. A $180,000 (R3.3m) purchase at Keeneland in November, he will be suited by the conditions and is one to consider on his first start in six months.
Echo Point, Al Mheiri’s second runner, can’t be overlooked, despite having plenty to find on the ratings. He impressed when winning handicap, over the same course and distance, in January.
Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, he took advantage of a low draw and produced a sharp turn of foot when notching his second win of the season.
Royal Favour, third behind subsequent Saudi Derby hero Golden Vekoma in the UAE 2000 Guineas, looks to bounce back in Race 2, the 1900m conditions race on dirt. Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, he was bitterly disappointing in the Al Bastikiya, the middle leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, finishing a remote ninth. He never recovered from a tardy start and was soon struggling, eventually coming home 31 lengths behind the shock winner Galactic Star.
If Royal Favour is back to his best form, he holds strong claims of finally opening his account at the fourth time of asking.
Race 4, the 1600m conditions race on dirt, has attracted a field of 10 and Military Law, the highest rated runner, makes his seasonal debut. A Group 1 winner over the track, he hasn’t been seen since finishing last of 12 behind Laurel River in the Dubai World last year.
Now 10 years old, he makes little appeal off a lengthy spell on the sidelines and preference is for lightly raced Saleymm, trained by Costa.
On the back of 434-day absence, he ran well behind Creative Story in a competitive handicap on turf at Meydan last month. Saleymm showed promise on his only run on dirt, finishing a creditable third behind the useful sprinter Colour Up in the Al Garhoud Sprint (Listed) in December 2023.
The Camden Colt, representing Bhupat Seemar, appeals on his first try on dirt. He has run well in defeat since arriving in the UAE, latest when a solid second behind Tamrat in a competitive 14-runner handicap at Abu Dhabi. He should mount a bold bid if coping with the switch in surface.
No Retreat will be popular stepping up to 1600m in Race 7, three weeks after impressing when making the breakthrough in a 1400m handicap at this track. Ridden by Pat Dobbs, he travelled strongly and caught the eye by the manner in which he quickened to lead close home. Trained by Fawzi Nass, No Retreat is very unexposed and has more to offer on just his seventh run.
Folk Festival, winner of two of his three races, heads the list of dangers and beat No Retreat twice earlier in the year. Trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, he has wide draw to overcome but is open to further improvement and deserves plenty of respect.
Of the rest, Crisford-trained Magnum Opus and Tamrat enter calculations. The pair are proven under the conditions and have been in fine form this season.
Racing concludes with a competitive 1200m handicap on turf, a race that many of the runners are struggling for form and out of sorts.
Costa’s Matloob, in first-time cheekpieces, is the one to beat following his solid third here in a 1000m handicap last month. He will improve stepping up an extra 200m and is very unexposed on turf.
BEST BET
Race 8 No 2 Matloob
BEST VALUE
Race 2 No 4 Moon Blade
BEST SWINGER
Race 3: 6-Sense Of Wisdom and 4-Tafreej
JACKPOT
(Races 5-8)
R32
Leg 1: 1, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 8
Leg 3: 3, 6, 8, 9
Leg 4: 2