Meydan Thursday Preview - 11/03/21

The first race of the day at Meydan is the six furlong Maiden on the dirt and the horse that takes the eye for us is Major Cinnamon.

The four year old has some stand out form in these conditions heading into the race, finishing a bright second at Jebel Ali three starts ago over six furlongs on fast ground.

He was then stepped up to seven furlongs and did not appreciate being upped in trip finishing poorly, but last time out bounced back to form over six when finishing third in a good race and on that form enters calculations.

Next up is another Maiden on the dirt and the Doug Watson trained Express Route will be tough to beat if improving off the back of his last run.

The four year old started his career for Charlie Appleby at Chelmsford in February 2020 and was a good second behind the smart Papa Power for Andrew Balding over 10 furlongs.

He was then moved overseas and given to Doug Watson, who gave him his first run at Jebel Ali over six furlongs and he was a bright second behind a nice type.

Today he steps up markedly in trip and having been an expensive purchase they expect him to turn out to be a nice horse.

The first Handicap of the day at Meydan comes over 1m2f and with so many runners heading to post we have two selections in this event.

The first is Bright Start for Saeed bin Suroor who looks one of the more likely winners of this event if running to form having won on his first start this year.

Having ran to a fair level on the flat in Britain last year, he was given a break and sent to Meydan in January where he was a good winner on the dirt over 9.5f.

He has gone up 7lb for that win and ran over a mile at Meydan last time out and finished a narrow second behind Hypothetical, who has since gone on to frank the form finishing second in a Grade One.

He is up another 5lb for his latest second and if staying on the improving curve he has a big chance.

At a much bigger price and a live each way player is the Salem bin Ghadayer trained Book Review who has been extremely consistent on his last three runs.

On his third run of the season, having needed the first two for fitness, he got back to winning ways in fine style over 1m3f at Meydan.

Going up 10lb in the handicap he went to Jebel Ali over 1m2f and was a good second behind the smart Pharoah King and then last time out returned to winning ways at Al Ain in a two mile event.

Stamina is something that is definitely on his side and having been extremely consistent recently it warrants him to run another big race, getting weight off the top horses in the field.

One of the better races on the card is the Conditions event over a mile and Meshakel for Salem bin Ghadayer looks a big player on his earlier form.

The three year old has ran four times this year, showing superb ability on his first three starts, but unfortunately running no race last time out in the Saudi Derby and he will need to bounce back here.

On his first start this year he finished a good second behind a nice stablemate over six furlongs and he used that to get off the mark next time out at Meydan over seven furlongs.

Having landed that maiden by seven lengths, he was upped to a mile at the track and finished a neck second in the Group Three UAE 2000 Guineas and a return to that form makes him a big player.

The penultimate event of the afternoon in the UAE is the one mile Handicap event on the dirt and Alkaamel, formerly with William Haggas, looks to have a big chance.

The five year old had his last run in England back in 2019 and has since then been trained in the UAE, running frequently at Meydan and Jebel Ali.

This year the son of Havana Gold has been seen three times, finishing second over course and distance behind Hypothetical, who has since gone on to frank the form finishing second in a Grade One.

Next time out he finished in a hot handicap that has produced winners, with second, third and fourth since going on to win or perform well in better races.

Alkaamel last time out was another nice third in a hot a race, finishing behind Hypothetical for a third straight time and also Bright Start, who looks a nice type.

He holds some superb form and only going up 3lb for his recent runs makes him one to follow.

The final runner of the day for us comes in the seven furlong handicap and we think Double Orb can make it a good day for trainer Doug Watson.

The five year old will be carrying top weight in this event but that should not stop him if he stays on the upward curve of form he has produced of late.

Having his first run for over two years in January, he finished a good second over a mile at Meydan and he should come on leaps on bounds for that run.

The gelding has only gone up 2lb for that run and could be extremely well handicapped for this run.