Ed Marnane
Picture: Dubai Racing ClubThe UAE 2000 Guineas, the opening leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, headlines a high-quality card on week six of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan on Friday.
First run in 2000, this year’s renewal has drawn a field of nine and unbeaten Tiger Nation, impressive winner of the trial, looks the one to beat.
Trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, he won a maiden at Jebel Ali on his racecourse debut, before brushing aside Es-Unico and six others on his Meydan debut when making all under a fine ride from top French rider Mickael Barzalona.
By Tamarkuz, winner of the Godolphin Mile and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, he will have to work harder jumping from the widest stall, but he possesses bags of early pace and has the assistance of Barzalona, a rider who few peers riding on dirt at Meydan.
Shirl’s Bee created a big impression when scoring on his racecourse debut and justifying plenty of market support for trainer Doug Watson. The form of the race couldn’t have worked out any better - the runner-up, second, third and sixth have all won since.
Owned and bred by Charles Fipke, he’s a colt with a big reputation and bids to go one place better than his sire, Bee Jersey, who finished second to subsequent dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow in the 2016 UAE 2000 Guineas.
Fore Left, ridden by William Buick, gave Doug O’Neill his only success in the race three years ago. The California-based trainer has booked Buick to ride Tall Boy, the only maiden in the field. Rated 90, he has plenty to find on his UAE debut and is unlikely to trouble the home team on the form he showed behind Practical Move in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, his final run of 2022.
Race 5, the Blue Point Sprint, sees defending champion Lazuli and 2021 winner Equilateral clash in the Group 2 contest up the straight turf track. The event, over 1000m, is a key local prep for the Al Quoz on World Cup night, and Lazuli arrives in top form, winning the Dubai Dash last month. He will take plenty of beating, despite being potentially unfavourably drawn in gate one.
Man Of Promise, Appleby’s second runner, has something to prove now after getting beaten in the Dubai Sprint, going narrowly to Coachello having looked the likely winner. He found little for pressure and his attitude must be questioned.
Of the others, Acklam Express, runner-up to Lazuli 12 months ago, makes most appeal, especially drawn high. He made a pleasing comeback in the Dubai Dash, a performance that was better than the bare result having been drawn way from the pace in a first-time visor. Trained by Nigel Tinker, he can boast form figures of 224 over the course and distance and can’t be overlooked.
It's hard to oppose Al Dasim in the Dubai Trophy, Race 3. The son of Harry’s Angel caught the eye on his UAE/seasonal debut last month, bolting up in the Al Wasl Stakes under a confident ride from Mickael Barzalona. Always travelling powerfully, Al Dasim stormed clear to score by a comfortable three lengths from Fast-Uno and Noor Bano.
The runner-up, trained by Julio Olascoaga, looks the one to follow home Al Dasim once again. He has flopped on dirt since when trailing in a remote eighth behind Western Symphony under an overly aggressive ride.
Racing closes with the second running of the Business Bay Challenge, a Listed race 1400m on turf. I Am Superman, owned and trained by Michael O’Callaghan in Ireland, made an encouraging comeback when third in the Zabeel Mile after a stint in Australia. The drop back in distance should suit the seven-year-old and he is entitled to strip fitter for that run.
Land Of Legends spearheads the four-pronged challenge for Godolphin for last year’s winning trainer, Saeed bin Suroor. Winner of the 2021 Al Fahidi Fort, over this course and distance, he made a pleasing start to the year in the Zabeel Mile, keeping on nicely in the closing stages to finish less than five lengths behind Master Of The Seas. The form looks solid as the winner set a new track record, and he only must find half a length on I Am Superman on that form.
It's hard to rule out a Charlie Appleby runner and Modern News, the mount of William Buick, demands respect if back to his best. He produced lacklustre display in the Zabeel Mile, dropping away tamely after making the early running. This son of Shamardal can easily bounce back, and it looks significant Appleby has removed the tongue-tie. A confirmed front-runner, he’s ideally in berthed in stall one to force the pace.
Guillermo Arizkorreta’s horses have been running with credit at the Dubai World Cup Carnival this year, the most recent seven days ago when Samedi Rien was a good third in the Cape Verdi. Rodaballo, a multiple winner in Spain, can’t be ruled out, especially at big odds. He kept on well in the closing stages to finish a good fifth behind Al Suhail in the Al Fahidi Fort last month, leaving the impression he would come for the run.
BEST BET
Race 5 No 6 Lazuli
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 9 Rodaballo
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 11-Street Mood and 9-Quality Humor
JACKPOT
(Races 4 to 7]
R64
Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 11
Leg 2: 2, 6
Leg 3: 6, 9
Leg 4: 4, 5, 8, 9