Horse Racing Picks, News and Opinions
Tom, Rich and guest Eddie C discuss…
Horse Racing Picks
Dubai World Cup Races
Race 2: Godolphin Mile
Race 4: Al Quoz Sprint
Race 5: UAE Derby
Race 7: Dubai Turf
Race 8: Dubai Sheema Classic
Race 9: Dubai World Cup
Meydan-Dubai Horse Racing Picks and Commentary -Saturday, March 26th
22 to 1 Tom’s Tips
Race1
Good Luck – Arabian horses from all over
Race 2 – Godolphin Mile
1 – Al Nefud – Draw 2
Good on dirt 3 starts 2 wins 1 second
2 for 2 at the distance
Ran 2nd to Hot Rod Charlie last out moved at 600m but there was no way he was catching the winner
Late developing horse who started career in UK on the AW with no wins but placed 3 times in 3 races, they were novices’ races
I think the 1600m distance suits him better because he’s tried 1900m to 2400m with placings only
11 – Pogo
No dirt races and didn’t place on AW, so why pick?
Interest spot for group winner should like firm going, hard fast track maybe the key in this race
He has plenty of speed and should be on the lead
He has 30 starts and win/placed 15 times and won over the distance 3 times
Had problems with the start in Saudi Arabia at still ran 5th vs a good Japanese turf at a shorter distance
Useful race, now for the dirt, I don’t think Charlie Hills would place him here if he didn’t have a chance
12 – Secret Ambition
44 starts with 11 wins 12 seconds 2 thirds
Good at the distance with 24 starts 6 wins 9 seconds 1 third
He’s a group 2 and 3 winners at the distance in Dubai
Started career in UK running in races from class 3’s, 4’s and 5’s with 1 win on the turf at Brighton
Different horse in Dubai
This 9-year-old is good enough to get a piece here
Race 3 – Dubai Gold Cup
12 – Manobo – Draw 7
5 for 5 lifetime with wins at 2000m, 2400m, 3000m & 2810m
Group 3 race at MEY, behind the leader tip out at 600m and won with ease
Beat Kemari at Longchamp in Oct, again raced mid-division pace, out and win
Interesting in the maiden win was that Mojo Star ran 2nd and ran 2nd in the English Derby
He adds distance today but based on what he’s done, no problem
Another Godolphin owned with William Buick aboard
8 – Rodrigo Diaz
13 starts 4 wins 3 seconds 1 third
Better on AW with 3 wins but
He’s run against top class company all the time including my top choice, Stradivarius, Hukum in group 2 or 3 races
Last out, he got into the race toward the middle running and finished evenly in the final 400m, need the start
He’s won twice from 3 races 2nd race off layoff
Never ran this distance but has run at 3600m before, so I don’t see this as an issue
9 – Stay Foolish – Draw 4
Won in Saudi Arabia last out with an easy lead and not being extended, win and useful race too since he hadn’t run since Dec.
Ran ok in Hong Kong losing to Glory Vase and Pyledriver – 5th
Never ran this distance but has been as far as 3000m
If he dictates the pace up front, he will have something left at the end
They were surprised he won last out
Race 4 – Al Quoz Sprint
16 – Suesa – Draw 11
8 starts 5 wins
3 starts at the distance and 2 wins
Lost last out to A Case of You at Longchamp in the heavy going and failed another time in the heavy going
Now she gets a good track & has won first up twice
She’s facing horses like Dragon Symbol, Winter Power, Emaraaty Ana, Starman, Glass Slipper, etc…and beat them at Goodwood and a power performance by 3L
This is a good race to start her 4-year-old racing, if she ready, she will be tough to beat
3 – Casa Creed – Draw 15
24 starts 5 wins 4 seconds 4 thirds
1 win from 3 starts at distance
Just got beat last out & ran a very good race with some issues
Not much in the BC race vs Space Blues but in a tough spot and had issues again
He won at Belmont in grade 1 (on dirt) and then beat by Got Stormy at Saratoga
He’s draw in 15 but this is a straight away turf run so maybe this is better for him
Win? Placing should be able to do off current form
9 – Lauda Sion
17 starts 5 wins 2 seconds 2 thirds
One win at the distance from 5 tries
Useful race last out vs Songline in Saudi Arabia
Not the best of starting post but still able to run 4th
Been running dull in Japan, but showed life last out
Price horse and appears to be on the improve
Race 5 – UAE Derby
9 – Gilded Age – Draw 9
5 starts 1 win 1 third
Raced in the mud last out in the Withers at AQU and ran third. How good was this race? Speed wise, not much we thought but the runner up won the Rebel next start, the winner maybe the real deal and the 4th place runner was 2nd in Tampa Bay Derby, Smarten Up, who ran 6th, was beaten by a nose at Parx next out
Strong run-in maiden win before the Withers
Bill Mott and Luis Saez have both done ok recently and this one could be another
Price?
7 – Crown Pride – Draw 10
3 starts 2 wins
Last race, was in tight at the start and it appears he lost the race there but only by 3.5L
He’s 2nd start, he drew post 13, was wide most of the trip and won, comment was “too good”
The 2 wins were at 1800m and lost at 1600m (listed race)
He comes back to previous form race, he wins
6 – Combustion – Draw 7
5 starts 3 wins 2 seconds
In the mud last out at Tokyo, a winner by a neck sitting behind the speed and pulled up at 500m to win
He’s first 2 listed races in Japan were at 1800m and 1400m, with 2 runs 2nd and one vs Sekifu
Godolphin owned and William Buick to ride, certainly can place in this race and also a good chance to win
Race 6 – Dubai Golden Shaheen
3 – Drain The Clock – Draw 3
12 starts 7 wins 3 second
At distance, 4 starts 3 wins 1 second
Lost by a neck last out at 1200m run at Gulfstream in listed race, he tracked the top 2 horses moving forward at 200m and just missed
He beat Jackie’s Warrior once at Belmont (grade 1) then lost the next 2 races to the same horse by big margins, one of those races Life Is Good ran 2nd
He’s Dec race, was a win in a small field but a fast time
Irad Oritz, Jr up again and appears ready to win
10 – Red Le Zele – Draw 2
20 starts 8 wins 6 second 2 thirds
At distance, 6 starts 2 wins 3 seconds 1 third
In the mud, group 1 at Tokyo he was a disappointing 6th racing midpack and never really threatening in the race. Winner was Café Pharoah (top Japanese miler)
He won at 1400m the start before from post 12 start in ok time
He ran 2nd last year in this race beaten well by the ill-fated winner who broke down just after the finish line
If you toss the last race as a prep (like last year, he ran 4th in the same race) before this race and now running back at 1200m, he will place and may win
2 – Dr Schivel – Draw 9
9 starts 5 wins 2 second 1 third
At distance, 5 starts 4 wins 1 second
Toss last race, awful and was the worst of his racing career, finish last by 19.5L and had all kinds of trouble and was tired at the end. One difference, this was at 1400m
Nosed out in the BC race at Del Mar by Aloha West
Won previous 3 starts running in grade 1, 2 and condition races
At 1200m and tossing the last race, he should rebound
Race 7 – Dubai Turf
12 – Schnell Meister – Draw 4
7 starts 4 wins 2 second 1 third
He is 1 for 1 at the distance
First up, he races great fresh – 5 starts 4 wins 1 second
Last out at Hanshin, group 1 mile beaten by 3/4L in fast time 1:32.6. Ran 8th most of the race and closed
He wins or placings in his last 5 races
He wants a firm track been ok on good but get scratched on wet turf tracks
He’s faced the best in Japan including Songline (he beat at 1600m)
16 – Saffron Beach – Draw 8
8 starts 4 wins 2 seconds
Never ran this distance but first up, her record is 2 starts 1 win 1 second
Got really good in her last starts with 2 wins in group 1 & 3 races beating Mother Earth
2 very disappointing race before those wins, both group 1 races against Snow Lantern, Mother Earth, Alcohol Free, Snowfall, Mystery Angel, etc… tough company
Layoff won’t hurt her and maturity and last good races should show she ready to go
8 – Lord North – Draw 9
14 starts 7 wins 3 seconds 1 third
He is 2 for 2 at the distance
Used a AW race (group 3) at Lingfield as prep, running 2nd to Alenquer group 1 winner – midpack run, asked for more with 400m to go and no extra to beat the winner
1 race in 2021, at Meydan and won by 3L – so he also can run fresh
In 2020, BC race in reared in the gate and was wide running 4th
Prep race, fresh, likes distance, won here before plus
John Gosden & Frankie Dettori, what’s not to like
Race 8 – Dubai Sheema Classic
14 – Yibir – Draw 12
12 starts 6 wins 1 second 2 thirds
Very good at this distance
Last out, BC race started in the back of the field, firm hold, moved 7 wide and ran down the leaders to win by a head
Belmont race, last at the top of the lane, blew by them and won by 2.5L
York race, back of the field, waited for room, got out and won
When allow to race freely, he loses. William Buick won on him before and knows how to handle this gelding for Godolphin
Since being gelded, he’s been a different horse
9 – Alenquer – Draw 9
8 starts 4 wins 2 second 1 third
Distance is good
He’s prep race at Lingfield on the AW, he beat Lord North moving first to the lead and kept on
The Arc, was over heavy going and not his race, average effort because he won on heavy going before
He’s done well against some of the best like Hurricane Lane, Mishriff & Tasman Bay
With the prep, a challenging prep and Tom Marquand up, he’s good for a placing here
5 – Hukum – Draw 11
13 starts 8 wins 1 second 2 thirds
He’s done well at the distance and even likes to go longer
Last out, after layoff, he won at Meydan, in group 2, ran midpack, move up with 500m left and got up by a head
He’s won at Ascot in group 3 at distance and on the AW ran second for prep
Distance is right and like other here, he’s faced top company, let’s see where in places in this race
Race 9 – Dubai World Cup
7 – Life Is Good – Draw 1
7 starts 6 wins 1 second
First time going this distance, longest race to date
Blew them away last out at Gulfstream by 3.25L geared down at the end beating horse of the year Knicks Go, raced wide but that didn’t matter
BC race, again the clear speed of the race and never looked back
He’s lost was to champion sprinter Jackie’s Warrior at Saratoga
He will take the lead, be wide and win again. In form in all his races so far
8 – Magny Cours – Draw 9
17 starts 7 wins 5 seconds 2 thirds
Won or placed in all his races at this distance
Has tried the dirt twice, no wins, yet
Toss last, appeared not to like the Saudi sandy, deep track and did no running, just galloped around the track
In Bahrain, a better effort on turf running 3rd with Lord Glitters winning even though he had the lead until 75m left and caught
Group 3 winner in France in 3rd to last start by 1/2L
I don’t think he can beat my top choice but with the jockey change to William Buick, he will get more out of him on the dirt this time out
5 – Hot Rod Charlie – Draw 7
14 starts 4 wins 3 seconds 3 thirds and 1 DQ
Never won at this distance with 1 third
Last out, William Buick up, an easy win at Meydan and was at 80% fit? Wow, like that desert air I guess
Dueled and lost to Express Train start before and lost by a nose at Santa Anita
Nothing vs Knicks Go in BC race, flatten out and average run
My questions is where will he be placed early in the race?
Rich’s Ranks
Race 2: Godolphin Mile
15 – Storm Damage
1 – Al Nefud
2 – Algiers
9 – Great Scot
Race 4: Al Quoz Sprint
4 – Creative Force
10 – Man of Promise
12 – Naval Crown
13 – Taxiwala
Race 5: UAE Derby
13 – Sekifu
6 – Combustion
11 – Pinehurst
3 – Quality Boone
Race 7: Dubai Turf
8 – Lord North
12 – Schnell Meister
2 – Colonial Liam
3 – Desert Fire
Race 8: Dubai Sheema Classic
5 – Hukum
4 – Glory Vase
1 – Authority
12 – Shahryar
Race 9: Dubai World Cup
3 – Country Grammer
7 – Life Is Good
5 – Hor Rod Charlie
6 – Hypothetical
