It’s a huge weekend of racing all over the planet, none as rich as the races in Dubai. So, where else would Tom and Rich spend their foreign Friday but Meydan racetrack and the Dubai World Cup.
Dubai World Cup Races (Free Meydan Racecourse Past Performances)
Race 2: Godolphin Mile
Race 3: Dubai Gold Cup
Race 4: Al Quoz Sprint
Race 5: UAE Derby
Race 6: Dubai Golden Shaheen
Race 7: Dubai Turf
Race 8: Dubai Sheema Classic
Race 9: Dubai World Cup
Guaranteed Tip Sheet Free Track of the Day: https://www.guaranteedtipsheet.com/index.aspx?afid=hrt
Dubai World Cup Horse Racing Picks
22 to 1 Tom’s Tips
Godolphin Mile
Thoroughbred • Group 2 • For NH & SH 4YO+ For SH 3YO • 1600m • DIRT • USD 1,000,000
4 – Isolate – PP#11
He was asked to go too far in the Saudi Cup. He held on until the middle of the stretch and then faded to sixth. Before that start, he won two races in Meydan, both at one mile. He won races in the States before being purchased, and it took a while for him to develop. Like the favorite, he has returned to a distance where he will perform well if he overcomes the outside starting post.
10 – Swing Vote – PP#5
Here’s a horse who ran in Europe and did average, only winning a maiden race. He did face Ace Impact in a listed race at Chantilly. Moving the Jebel Ali, he won three in a row, all at one mile. His last race was a very average effort at Meydan in group 3. William Buick rides again.
7 – Saudi Crown – PP#9
This is the favorite in the race and should be, but he only won races at Fairgrounds, Parx, and Churchill (maiden). He run in the money in other major races except the Breeder’s Cup Classic. If he runs his race, he goes to the lead and doesn’t look back.
Dubai Gold Cup
Thoroughbred • Group 2 • For NH & SH 4YO+ For SH 3YO • 3200m • TURF • USD 1,000,000
11 – Siskany – PP#6
Last time out, Siskany won by a length at Meydan, going 14 furlongs, beating Sea Stone. He has only run one two-mile race in his career at Belmont and won. My concern is that we in the States don’t run many long races, so what kind of field did he beat? But this Appleby/Buick and Charlie Appleby has been winning at Meydan at 40% this season, or 24 wins from 60 starts. This is a fit horse.
9 – Roberto Escobart – PP#9
He needed a race after a poor effort last time out. With four furlongs to go, he was done. He also may have disliked the Saudi track. On the all-weather at Newcastle, he ran fourth with the leading part of the race. He is a front-runner, so he can go two miles or more with a steady pace and has done that twice in his career. I will put him on my ticket because he may hang on for a placing in a race devoid of front-runners.
4 – Eldar Eldarov – PP#10
This is my love/hate horse because whenever I put him first, he does little, but when I put him on the ticket, he runs well. He runs fresh with some success, but his last race was a big win at the Curragh, beating Kyprios by three-plus lengths. My concern is two miles because I won shorter races, but is this too far? I am going to take a chance and put on my ticket.
Al Quoz Sprint
Thoroughbred • Group 1 • For NH & SH 3YO+ • 1200m • TURF • USD 1,500,000
8 – King Gold – PP#9
I will take a shot with a big-priced horse who ran to average efforts the last two times but only behind four lengths. Both these races were at seven furlongs. His biggest success was at Deauville last year, winning a group 1 over Spycatcher at six and a half furlongs. They were getting him ready for this race. He has improved with age considering he started in the backwater tracks in France. You can tell I was crazy the next day.
12 – Star of Mystery – PP#8
He went off as the favorite last time out and was beaten by Frost At Dawn, who won by 2 ½ lengths. The winner made the first jump in that race, which was not a match. This was a five-furlong race, and I prefer to see him running at six furlongs even though he has won at five furlongs. He went off the favorite in many races and had a record of eight starts, four wins, and three seconds. Jockey changed to Dettori from Buick.
2 – California Spangle – PP#5
He comes from Hong Kong off a win against some locally impressive speed horses with a front running win. He is fast and will lead this field from the beginning, but will he be there in the end? Well, his times say yes, especially in the last race, and his record at this distance is five starts, four wins, and one placing. He is cutting back from seven furlongs and has run at one-mile races against the best miler in Hong Kong – Golden Sixty, so he looks good.
UAE Derby
Thoroughbred • Group 2 • For NH & SH 3YO • 1900m • DIRT • USD 1,000,000
5 – Forever Young – PP#11
This horse comes into this race undefeated. His last race was interesting because he was held back, switched to the outside, and ran down Book’em Danno by a head. It was very impressive for a 3yo. His two races in Japan were both listed races at 9 furlongs first and then 8 furlongs for the second. He must win this race to get an invitation to the Kentucky Derby, and based on what the bettors think, he will.
7 – Guns And Glory – PP#7
His last race was a win for the first time on his third try, and it was a big win at nine and a half furlongs by over twelve lengths. Even more impressive is that he beat a horse in the race before by over five lengths. He is the best shot of the local horses and a well-bred son of Gun Runner.
4 – Ballon D’Or – PP#4
He won his first start as a 2yo in a small field in late December. He was placed in local group 3 races and missed by a neck. His last race was the first time at a major track, and he disappointed, running sixth by seven lengths. I had a hard time picking a final horse, so I settled on this one, and now he will win at a big price.
Dubai Golden Shaheen
Thoroughbred • Group 1 • For NH & SH 3YO+ • 1200m • DIRT • USD 2,000,000
5 – Hopkins – PP#9
He was nosed out of this last grade 3 race at Santa Anita by Big City Lights. In January, he lost by over a length at Santa Anita. But his goal appears to be this race because he raced in it last year and ran fourth before the last two races. He will be the pacesetter, and let’s see if Luis Saez can bring him home on top.
11 – Remake – PP#8
He closed strongly last year but didn’t finish the job, running fifth. His last two starts were one in Seoul on the all-weather, where he lost to Igniter by one and a half lengths, and one in Saudi Arabia, where he won by one and a half lengths as the 2-1 favorite. With the pacesetter up front, he will have something to run at again and could get there in time.
10 – Nakatomi – PP#7
In the last race at Tampa Bay, he lost to last year’s winner of this race. He had to be switched off the rail to try and run them down, but he failed to run third. He ran a game effort in the Breeder Cup Sprint, tracking the leaders, but one could get a third in that race. He will again be stalking the pace and will need a best effort to get into the money. Jamie Spencer has the ride.
Dubai Turf
Thoroughbred • Group 1 • For NH & SH 4YO+ For SH 3YO • 1800m • TURF • USD 5,000,000
10 – Measured Time – PP#5
He has been running on the all-weather and turf in England with success but at lower levels. He put together very good-looking wins in his last two races at Meydan. He’s won five out of his six races and finished second in the other race. He gets William Buick again and will show his best in this race.
5 – Do Deuce – PP#4
In 2022, he was shipped to Paris to run in the Arc. He didn’t like the very soft going and ran nineteenth. He returned to Japan and won his next start at Hanshin. Then he ran against Equinox twice, which didn’t go too well. His last start was in December, and he won by a half-length, beating Stars On Earth. He wins running fresh, and this distance suits him. Watch out.
3 – Catnip – PP#6
He comes off a challenging trip last out at Gulfstream with no room, then moved between horses to get third, but could he have caught Warm Heart? Maybe. He got moving and had some trouble herself. He went off at 47-1 and finished third. He raced four times last year with only one win. But he has looked very good in Dubai for the past week, and let’s see if he can continue to improve.
Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
Thoroughbred • Group 1 • For NH & SH 4YO+ For SH 3YO • 2410m • TURF • USD 6,000,000
12 – Liberty Island – PP#9
She won four in a row before running against Equinox (who set the track record here last year) as the second choice and ran second in the Japan Cup. She’s run seven times, winning five of those races and running second in the other two. She is the favorite in this race because she is a good 4yo.
1 – Junko – PP#6
He prepped for this race at Chantilly on the all-weather and ran second in a small field at the big favorite. But he has average runs after a layoff. This was different in his last two runs, winning in Munich and Hong Kong in two group 1 races. Going to those races, he ran third after a layoff at Longchamp. It is his pattern. He has seven wins, three seconds, and three thirds with fifteen starts. Top rider Maxime Guyon gets the ride again for Andre Fabre.
10 – Emily Upjohn – PP#4
After a layoff, she has won five out of six times against top company. She comes into this race off a very poor effort at Ascot in July, running seventh.
Ausguste Rodin was pulled up in that race. John and Thady Gosden know what they have with her, and she will make a good account of herself.
Dubai World Cup
Thoroughbred • Group 1 • For NH & SH 4YO+ For SH 3YO • 2000m • DIRT • USD 12,000,000
4 – Derma Sotogoke – PP#8
He won the UAE Derby last year after a good race, but a winning one, in Saudi Arabia. This year, he ran well in Saudi Arabia to run fifth and was even at this end after moving up to third at one point in the race. He was an Okay sixth in the Kentucky Derby and didn’t race again until November in the Breeder’s Cup Classic when he ran second. So, today, he wins.
11 – Ushba Tesoro – PP#5
He was beat by a fast-closing horse, Senor Buscador, last time out in Saudi Arabia by a head. He ran in Japan at the end of December for a win. His Breeder’s Cup Classic race was his worst effort on the dirt ever, and it was the first time he didn’t run in the money on the dirt. Before switching to the dirt, he was an average horse on the turf. His record on the dirt is eight starts, six wins, one second, and one fifth. Remember, he won this race last year at 10-1 odds. You won’t get those odds this year.
9 – Newgate – PP#6
He won by a head last time at Santa Anita in a grade one. He has the most races this year of all the horses with three starts and has not been out of money. He had only two races last year, which were earlier in the year. He gets Dettori again and should run another good race.
Rich’s Ranks
Race 2: Godolphin Mile
7- Saudi Crown – just missed in the Saudi Cup – cutting back to a mile helps
9 – Southern Artist – it’s all in the start – he’s three-quarters of a length from winning 2/3 at 1 mile at the track
4 – Isolate – can’t argue with 4/2-2 at the track – wonder if maybe the level is a touch out of reach
11 – Two Rivers Over – 3 for 3 at a mile – the track is the question – does he like it or not
Race 3: Dubai Gold Cup
11 – Sisknay – is a neck from being undefeated in 5 at the track on grass – the neck was here last year
12 – Sober – ran one bad race in the last 10, won his last two 2nd up outings and – good footing might be the lone question, but won on all weather. So, I don’t think it is an issue – French horses have done the best in this race
2 – Coltrane – been stellar in races of 2 miles or more – even better when the footing is good – it’s a desert – right?
1 – Al Nayyir – the pick sort of looks crazy – but jy Christophe Soumillion ran in it 9 times with 3 wins and 5 seconds – dominating
Race 4: Al Quoz Sprint
11 – Frost at Dawn – 4 of the last 6 winners came out of the Nad Al Sheba Turf – he won that race “easily” – but the post is a negative
12 – Star of Mystery – won his only 6f turf race at Dubai – Charles Appelby has been the most successful in this race and finished 2nd in the Nad Al Sheba
3 – Casa Creed – is the only American horse in the race, they do well, just don’t win
4 – Danyah – is the defending champ, same pattern as last year – a pair of 7f races and then cutting back to 6 for this one
Race 5: UAE Derby
5 – Forever Young – this race could be all about the Japanese horses and this is the best of them
6 – George Tesoro – is taking a big step up in class, but first at the distance and it looks like he might prefer the extra distance
10 – Mendelssohn – might be the best of the UAE horses, this guy will be coming at the end and will definitely like the extra distance
8 – Henry Adams – probably been running against the top company – and continuing with the theme that more distance is better
Race 6: Dubai Golden Shaheen
9 – Mouheeb – has had success over this track 10/3-1-2 – especially effective at the distance 7/4-0-1, all other 7/1-1-1
10 – Nakatomi – horses from the US have translated well to this race – he is the best of the American invaders
13 – Sibelius – is the defending champion and is in similar form and took nearly the same exact route as last yest
11 – Remake – 5th in this spot last year by 1 ¾ lengths, in considerably better for this year
Race 7: Dubai Turf
7 – Lord North – horse for the course 3/3 and the distance 4/4 – how do you bet against that – oh yeah, Tr John Gosden has entered this race three times and somehow has two wins and two placings
10 – Measured Time – another horse that rocks at the track, both at the distance 2/2 – the run back to the Al Rashidiya in 1:46.2 is a winning time
5 – Do Duece – another spot where Japanese horses have shined, this one looks to be the best of that bunch
14 – Voyage Bubble – Romantic Warrior is a solid horse, 18 races 13- wins -almost 12 million Euros in winnings – finished 2nd by a neck in his last vs him
Race 8: Dubai Sheema Classic
12 – Liberty Island – finished 2nd behind maybe the best horse on the planet Equinox – other than that – 6 races and a neck away from winning all of them
4 – Rebel’s Romance – Charles Appleby has 6 entries 2 win, 3 placings, but check this out, jy William Buick – 6 races with 3 wins and 100% ITM
9 – Auguste Rodin – BC Turf Champion – AoN type 10/7-1-0 and distance 4/3-0-0
11 – Stars on Earth – with a little racing luck, she could have won nine of her last 10 starts
Race 9: Dubai World Cup
9 – Newgate – Bob Baffert has been the King or Prince of this race – 7 runners with 2 wins and 5 seconds – he might not win but, at the odds, smart exacta key horse
6 – Kabirkhan – 11 races, 10 wins and a second – 2/2 at the track and neither was close
4 – Derma Sotogake – probably better in 2nd up – smoked the field by 5 ½ in his lone Meydan run
7 – Laurel River – horse came to life in his 2nd start after more than a year off – looking at his PP – he’s dominated routes and this will be the farthest he’s gone to date
