Meydan Saturday Dubai World Cup Meeting Preview

The first race of the day in Meydan on Dubai World Cup night is the Group Two Godolphin Mile and with a huge field going to post, we have two selections at each way prices.

The first is the six year old Roman Rosso that is joined for the first time by the inform Ryan Moore, who has been banging in winners on the all weather in England of late.

The Zaur Bifov owned horse has been seen twice this year, finishing fourth of 11 in January behind Military Law over a mile at Meydan and then improving from that to finish third last time out.

His third was a much better run behind Hypothetical and Salute The Solider in the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge and now dropping back in class should see him go close.

At a similar each way price for the same trainer, Secret Ambition could have a big say in the placings having performed extremely well at Meydan this term.

The eight year old made his seasonal debut in December when finishing a good second over course and distance and he then backed that up next time out at Jebel Ali with another decent second behind Blown By Wind.

In February he finally got off the mark for the season over course and distance in the Group Three Firebreak Stakes, seeing off the smart Hypothetical, who has since franked the form.

Last time out Secret Ambition could only finish fifth of 11 in the same Group One as Roman Rosso and the drop back in class and distance could be the making of this horse.

Next up is the Group Two Dubai Gold Cup over two miles and this race in the past has been won by some special horses and we believe Spanish Mission for Andrew balding can add himself to that esteemed roster.

The five year old will be ridden by Ryan Moore and has been very progressive during the last year or so, running against good company over marathon trips and performing well.

Three starts ago in September he went on to land the Group Two Dubai World Cup over 2m2f, but then went to Ascot on Champion Day and could only finish seventh in the Long Distance Cup ran on soft ground.

That bad run can be put down to a blip and not having his ground and he bounced back to form last time out in Saudi Arabia when a good second in a handicap over 1m7f.

That run will have put him spot on for this event and he will love the quicker ground conditions.

The first Group One of the evening is the Al Quoz Sprint over six furlongs and Equilateral for Charles Hills, looks to be one of the most progressive horses in the field this year.

The six year old has been consistent most of the time, with the geldings best run of last season coming behind stablemate Battaash in the Group One King's Stands Stakes when a close second at Royal Ascot.

Since then the horse was struggling in similar company, but gave another solid run on his final start of the season at Newbury when third in a Group Three.

He seems to favour running in Meydan giving his best efforts of late here, landing a handicap in January on his first run this season, which he also won last term.

Off the back of that run last year he headed into the Group Two Meydan Sprint, which he did the same this season and having finished a good second last year, he went on to win it this term.

He is now two from two on good ground over five furlongs at Meydan and although stepping up a furlong he is a seriously quick horse that is on a upward curve.

The Group Two UAE Derby looks a seriously good renewal of the race and with that in mind we have two selections at decent prices that could hit the frame.

The first pick in the event is Mouheeb and this three year old looks to be getting better and better with each run, showing in his runs to date that he has speed and stamina.

The colt made his debut in December over six furlongs at Jebel Ali and was a smart winner of a maiden contest, not lacking any pace.

In January he was quickly moved up to eight furlongs to see if he would get the trip on the dirt over course and distance at Meydan and he was a narrow second to a hot favourite for Charlie Appleby in a conditions race.

Last time out he gave a career best effort to land the UAE 2000 Guineas over a mile at Meydan, getting up in the final strides and now stepping up in trip he is sure to improve again

At a bigger price that could sneak a place is El Patriota and this three year old at a double figure price should out run his odds.

The colt has been running in Uruguay and in his five runs to date has landed three of them, including three starts ago when taking a Group One over 1m4 1/2 furlongs.

In January he made his first appearance of the year at Meydan over course and distance on the dirt and landed a decent conditions race with ease.

He then headed into a Listed event over the same C&D and he finished a good third behind the favourite Panadol and improving for that run could go closer at triple the price.

The Group One Dubai Golden Shaheen sprint event over six furlongs sees a classy field head to post and we are siding with the Doug O'Neill trained Wildman Jack.

At a double figure price this five year old looks to have a huge chance off the back of the steps forward he has taken this season.

In January he had his first run of the year over 6.5 furlongs at Santa Anita and needed the run, finishing 6th of seven in a Group Two event.

Having come on for the run he went into the Group Three Palos Verdes Stakes over 6f at Santa Anita again and this time landed the spoils by close to five lengths.

The quicker the ground the better for this horse and he will be sure to run a solid race.

The Group One Dubai Turf sees some very familiar face take to post and in this classy event we have a win and each way punt.

Our win selection is the sensational Lord Glitters who has been a revelation in Meydan this year and can top things off by taking out this event.

The superstar Lord Glitter is now turning eight and there was thoughts he may not be the horse of old, although having ran credibly in races such as the QEII, Summer Mile Stakes and York Stakes in England last term.

He is a past Royal Ascot Group One winner and returned to that form in January when landing the Group Two Singspiel Stakes over course and distance at Meydan.

In February he tried to back that run up in the Group Two Al Rashidiya, but had to settle for third, still running superbly close in the event.

Last time out the grey bounced back to winning form when landing another Group One to his roster in the Jebel Hatta over nine furlongs.

Off the back of that run he is certainly the one to beat, with his off the pace style of running suiting this track down to the ground

At an each way angle in the same race Court House for Simon Crisford could out run his odds of 33/1 and looks heavily over priced off the back of one run over course and distance this year.

Having needed his first run of the year at Jebel Ali, he then came to Meydan in February over nine furlongs and finished a bold second to Zakouski in the Group Two Al Rashidiya.

He managed to beat Lord Glitters home that day and with him being 3/1 and Court House at 33/1, he looks an obvious bet if getting back to that form.

Last time out the six year old could only finish fifth in the Group One Jebel Hatta with Lord Glitters reversing the form but at the prices, he could go close again.

The penultimate event of the day at Meydan is the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic over 1m4f and we are sticking with the Saudi Cup winner Mishriff.

The four year old exceeded expectations last term being unbeaten on all three of his starts to date, starting in the Listed Newmarket Stakes where he saw off his highly touted stablemate Waldkonig.

He then stepped up to the French Derby at Chantilly and he landed the event in fine style, pulling away from a talented field to take the first Group One of his career.

Gosden went with the approach that if its not broke, don't fix it and he sent him back to France for the Group Two Prix Guillaume daEUR and although only a small field took to post, he landed the spoils nicely.

Having swerved the Arc the colt was in flying form and headed for the Champion Stakes at Ascot for his final run of the season and unfortunately ran no sort of race and was outclassed on the day.

However, having been given a break and fine tuned for his run in the Saudi Cup last time out, he stayed on best of the rest in the final stages to see off American challenger Charlatan to land the second renewal of the race.

Although he is drawn wide he is a class act that off the back of his latest win is in the mix.

The final event on the card is of course the pinnacle Group One Dubai World Cup and with 14 runners set to head to post we have two selections.

The Salem bin Ghadayer trained four year old has been seen four times this year, winning on debut over a mile at Meydan and then finished a fair fourth at Jebel Ali behind some smart horses in a Group Three.

He came back to Meydan after that, staying at a mile and he was a good second in another Group Three and backed that up last time out when getting back to winning ways in a mile Handicap.

Stepping into Group One company last time out looked a tough task, but he rose to the challenge well to finish a close second behind the smart Salute The Soldier.

He will have to reverse that form with that horse but for how progressive he has been this season, you can't look away from him.

The final selection of the day at a decent price in the Dubai World Cup is the Saeed bin Suroor trained Gifts Of Gold who will be looking to keep the race within the yard, with the handler winning the last two renewals of this great race.

The six year old has shown plenty of ability throughout his career, but has also been frustrating but Suroor now seems to have fine tuned him for this event.

Having come back from a break in January over a mile at Meydan and desperately needing the run, last time out he landed the Red Sea Turf Handicap over 1m7f at Riyadh.

Although this event is a huge step up from that and he is dropping down to 1m2f, the stamina he holds could be crucial on the day and overall you can not discount these connections.