Meydan Saturday Preview

The first race of the day on Saturday at Meydan is the Listed Al Bastakiya contest and the horse that takes the eye is the Fawzi Abdulla Nass trained Endifaa.

The three year old has been seen three times in his career, improving with every run having finished fourth on debut and then ran into the places on his last two occasions.

Having ran over seven furlongs on debut, he was then stepped up in trip to todays distance and he was a close third in the trial for this event.

He went back down to a mile last time out at Meydan and got closer to breaking his duck when second behind the clever Panadol and with his progressive nature he looks a big player.

The first black type race of the day sees the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold event over 1m4f and the Charlie Appleby trained Walton Street will be tough to beat.

The seven year old has really come into his own of late, not finishing outside the top two in his last five races and also landing his last two events, which sees him seeking a hat-trick on Saturday.

In September he got back to winning ways in a Listed event over 1m4f at Newmarket and then given a break he returned over course and distance at Meydan last time out to land a Listed Handicap with ease.

Although he has to step up into better company at the weekend, he looks a horse on the up and should be respected at this trip.

The first sprint event of the day comes in the Mahab Al Shimaal with the Group Three events over six furlongs seeing a decent field head to post.

The horse we are siding with is the Doug Watson trained Canvassed for owner Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and this six year old looks a big player off the back of his last run.

The gelding has put in three smart efforts of late, finishing a good third at Jebel Ali, before backing that up over a mile at the same track with another placed finish.

Watson last time out decided to drop him down to six furlongs and it worked a treat over course and distance when winning the Mina Rashid Handicap and if improving for that run is in the mix again.

Prompting, formerly with David O'Meara is a big player in the big fielded Group Three Burj Nahaar over a mile and he is the first of our each way selections.

The five year old last season became one of the most progressive handicappers on the flat in Britain, landing three races in a row at Ayr, York and Goodwood.

Having won a Class 4 event at Ayr and York in the summer, he went to Glorious Goodwood and landed the hat-trick in the prestigious Golden Mile Handicap.

He then went to York Ebor's meeting last time out in August and finished a solid fourth behind Seasoned handicappers in Montatham, Sir Busker and Top Rank.

That form line is superb and has seen him do well on both his runs at Meydan during the winter, finishing fourth on his first start of the year in a good handicap and then backing that up with a better third last time out.

He is a highly improving type that looks to have a race like this in him.

The second selection for us in this event at a bigger price is the Doug Watson trained Golden Goal who has some superb form at Meydan.

The six year old has two wins and a place from his last four runs at the track and one of those victories came over course and distance.

The gelding has been seen twice this year, winning over seven furlongs at Meydan on his first run of the year and although only fifth over a mile last time out, he should come on for that run.

He seems to race better in bigger fields and that is exactly what he gets on Saturday.

The first Group One event of the afternoon is the

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 last time out when landing the Group Two Singspiel Stakes over course and distance at Meydan

He has only been seen at the Meydan track twice in his career, finishing a good third behind the Japanese star Almond Eye in a Group One

The final Group One even on the afternoon is the Al Maktoum Challenge over 1m2f and at a double figure price Hypothetical could out run his odds.

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 makes it much tougher for him but he looks progressive and deserves his chance.

The final race of the day on Saturday is the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over six furlongs and with a big field set to go to post for this Group Three event, we have two each way picks.

The first is the Nigel Tinkler trained Acklam Express who will be getting weight off the field and having showed in England last term and at Meydan last time out, he has a race like this in him.

The three year old landed a hat-trick last season winning over five furlongs at Hamilton, Goodwood and then at the Yorkshire Ebor meeting in a Listed event.

After that he ran twice more in Britain, being stepped up to better quality and finding some of the runners just too good.

Having not been seen since October, he returned at Meydan over five furlongs and finished a good second behind Equilateral for Charles Hills.

That run came in a Group Two event and dropping back in class for this even and up in trip should see him go close again.

Another runner in the race we think has a big chance is the Charlie Appleby trained Man Of Promise, with the four year old looking to make it back to back wins over course and distance.

The gelding is very lightly raced for his age only being seen four times since making his debut back in July, and in those runs has shown superb ability.

Having finished a good third in July 2019 on debut at Ascot over six furlongs behind smart types Mums Tipple and Molatham, he then got off the mark next time out in June 2020, stepped up to seven furlongs at Yarmouth.

He was next seen again in August back at six furlongs at Newmarket and was a fair second in a handicap event.

Given another break he returned over course and distance at Meydan last month and got back to winning ways in a Listed Handicap and if coming on for the run will be in the mix.