It may just be another Thursday to the rest of the world but at Meydan racecourse this is Super Thursday; although what else can you call a track that has its own five-star hotel?
The stars, both human and equine, will be out tonight with Sting providing the post-race entertainment but the main interest will be the races that should provide a few more clues before the World Cup card on March 27th.
After seven meetings at the new track this year’s Dubai International Racing Carnival is in full swing and there are more form lines on the course to get to grips with. It is all change for Presvis when he runs in the Group Two Jebel Hatta. There was a distinct smell of burnt fingers when he was beaten, as a 2-7 favourite, on the Tapeta track early last month.
Presvis has been switched to turf and there is also a change of rider, with Ryan Moore taking over from Kieren Fallon. However, the biggest problem appeared to be a lack of pace in the race, rather than the surface or the jockey, and there does not appear to be a natural front-runner in this race either.
Also Presvis has to concede a Group One penalty, which may also be a problem for Zirconeum, but that is not yet an issue for Godolphin’s Alexandros and he picked up off a moderate pace when he ran out the easy winner of a Group Three at Meydan four weeks ago.
The Carnival is about international competition and the Group Three Al Maktoum Challenge underlines that with a field of 14 drawn from seven countries. Cavalryman is likely to be favourite, after his good third to Sea The Stars in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but, first time out in five months, he may just find others have the edge on him while Vodka, from Japan, has not showed top form in two previous runs in Dubai last year.
Gloria De Campeao ticks both boxes having won a Group Three here in late January. That was over a mile but he has Group One winning form over this distance of 10 furlongs.
On his best form Purple Moon would have an outstanding chance in the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold, but he has not run for 341 days and one has to think that he will need the run.
There are question marks over a few of the field and it may just be worth taking a chance on the Turkish runner, Pan River.
He won over nine furlongs at Meydan last month and the form of that race has been franked by both the second and fifth coming out again and winning. He was beaten a half-length by Halicarnassus in a Group Two race in Turkey last September but is 3lbs better off for that and the step up to 12 furlongs looks sure to bring out the best in him.
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