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| Rowan Anderson |
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Racing returns to Meydan on Sunday with a seven race card consisting of two maidens serving as opportunity to see some potential in horses yet to explode onto the scene.
A string of handicap and conditional races fill out the meet with thoughts on the fields below.
The highest rated runner is Made in Dubai (75) who has nine career starts for four placings. Having last raced 20 days ago at Meydan for a close second place finish, Mickael Barzalona has been retained for the ride in hopes of going one better and breaking through for that maiden.
The Ahmed Al Shemaili trained Great Deed is a 4YO gelding who will step out for his career debut with Bernardo Pinheiro onboard.
A field of five, three of which have no official rating in a race with no real form lines to guide.
Shake Hand is a 3YO colt for owner-trainer Fawzi Nass with three starts from which he has not been in the running and off the speed allowing double digit margins in two of those, his career debut last December saw him finish twelfth and close to 22 lengths off the winner.
A decent 14 entry field with a few hopes to follow.
Chef De Partie piques interest in this for trainer Mohammed Mardood. The 4YO gelded son of Siyouni has performed well in its last two starts with a third and fourth placing, its only two other Meydan starts, and should look to go on here with Richard Mullen retained for the ride after celebrating a double in Bahrain in features on Friday.
Mohammed Ibrahim’s Mouser won in December two starts ago by 1.25 lengths and should be there abouts in this one also.
Sharar is a 3YO colt prepared by Fawzi Nass for KHK Racing who lines up here after racing exclusively in Meydan in all three career starts. He returns to the track after finishing second by two lengths over the shorter 1600m so should see improvement with the extra distance.
From a smaller field of six the 3YO Tapiture colt Go Soldier Go should have this race wrapped up far from home. Trained by Fawzi Nass for the Victorious ownership he had his career debut in December at Meydan running third before backing up 12 days later for another third place. He would go up a step-in distance from the 1400 to the 1900, at which Sunday’s race is run, and he finished second under De Vries. He is improving as per his stats and should be ringing in his first win in this given the average opposition he has to contend with this time around.
Top hope will be the Rashad Bouresly trained Hawa Bilady with the 5YO looking to make it two straight wins after a victory by a neck at Abu Dhabi last March.
Doug Watson sits atop of the Championship ladder and his starter One Idea should not be ignored. Two wins from seven UAE starts both coming in Meydan he will be looking to change the script following a sixth placing last week.
Julio Olascoaga prepares El Patriota who has a victory at Meydan in January 2021 that came after two wins in South America.
Bhupat Seemar’s Poster Paint is not without chances either backing up after a second placing at the Meydan track last week with Tadhg O’Shea retained for the ride.
Seemar also prepares the 4YO gelded son of Dubawi, Tangled Words, in what will be his UAE debut after four starts in the UK.
The favourite in the market will most likely be Zucchini, who prepared by Ahmad bin Harmash is looking to make it three on the trot after winning the Lincoln Nautilus in its last start. The 8YO gelding is looking fresh and in form going on those two performances and with Ray Dawson on board should be running on for a long way.
Carrying a 90 rating Mordin will be looking to return to the winners circle for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer after not tasting victory since last November in Abu Dhabi winning by five lengths. Last start under hoop Barzalona the 9YO ran third here at Meydan over the further 2000m and the start prior to that he only beat home two finishing fifth in a Listed class race.
Judging by the form however it is stablemate Deciduous who deserves favouritism between this pair. The 4YO gelded son of Dubawi has had four career starts for two wins in the UK with this being his UAE debut with Royston Ffrench booked to ride.
Doug Watson prepares Qareeb with the son of Speightstown looking to make it two in a row after winning by the smallest margin over the track and trip mid-January. Watson also prepares stablemate Sari Dubai who is also looking to back up from a win with Pat Dobbs onboard for this start.
Trainer Mohammed Mardood trains top hope Celtic Voyager with the 6YO looking to make it two straight in Meydan.
Bouresly trained Abshrek has relished the Meydan track after finishing twelfth in his first run at Jebel Ali going on for a third placing and win at Meydan. At his last start he won by three lengths breaking his maiden and will be looking for a repeat of that performance.
Closing out the card we have twelve travelling the trip.
Favouritism should be with the Al Mheiri trained Branwell who is backing up off a win by two lengths two weeks ago.
Bhupat Seemar prepares a runner with interest in Yurman who has had 18 career starts for two wins and five placings. With retained hoop Tadhg O’Shea on board here they should be able to take it the next step after a second placing to Branwell last start.