Last week’s blog nine yielded four winners from four selections. Well Of Wisdom, Secret Advisor & Velorum all went in along with US raider Parsimony. Charlie Appleby saddled the first trio and the Godolphin supremo is in line for a big Super Saturday at Meydan. The majority of the seven races have attracted full fields, but in truth, many of the contenders have little of no hope of winning. The head of the market is where we will concentrate for betting opportunities.
Race 1: Listed Al Bastikya (1 Mile, 1 Furlong) (Dirt)
Zabardast is one of the highest rated maidens in the country on a mark of 95. He has quietly impressed in defeat on all of his three starts to date. His last two efforts came on the dirt and he can be marked up on those efforts as the draws have been very unkind. Stall 11 on Saturday is not perfect by any means, but he should be able to lie-up closer to the early pace and if there is a top class dirt performer to come out of this race, it is most certainly Salem Bin Ghadayer’s strapping son of Carpe Diem.
Race 3: G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (6 Furlongs) (Turf)
With the likes of Equilateral aside, the Meydan sprinters have been a motley crew in 2020. Enter Space Blues to put a bit of respectability on the division. Charlie Appleby needs a horse to step up and fill the shoes of Blue Point who was so brilliant in this race last year. This son of Dubawi rose rapidly through the handicap ranks to win at listed level before going close in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. His last two runs came in G1s; the best of which was over six and a half furlongs in Deauville’s Prix Maurice De Gheest. We saw last week how Appleby can ready his charges to be cherry ripe off a break and a repeat of either of his last two runs will be good enough to win this. Rusumaat could be one for the forecast.
Race 5: G1 Jebel Hatta (1 Mile, 1 Furlong) (Turf)
Barney Roy cruised home to win the G2 Al Rashidiya in effortless fashion on January 30th. He faces 12 rivals this time but serious rivals are thin on the ground. Dream Castle has been holding his form well, but that form is still well short of what is required, and he was swept aside by Barney Roy on their latest clash. Spotify should make this a nice end-to-end gallop and that will set things up for his uber-talented stable mate.
Race 6: G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (1 Mile, 2 Furlongs) (Dirt)
Military Law has come a long way in a short space of time. He was bordering on useful for John Gosden in England and was snapped up for what now looks like a very cheap 110,000 guineas back on July. Mussabeh Al Mheiri has done a fabulous job with him as the horse has been reported to not show a lot in the mornings. The gelded son of Dubawi is pacey in his races and is able to travel powerfully and quicken, which is something that not many dirt performers can do. Antonio Fresu should be able to hold the perfect stalking position form stall 2. Military Law is simply the most talented horse in a sub-par race for the grade.
