Friday's Meydan Selections & Updates - 20 January

Today I'm concentrating soley on Meydan for Friday which kicks off at 11am our time.  


I notice a couple of claimers are riding in Dubai on Friday that I've not seen there before.  Shirley Teasdale and Michael O'Connell must be having rather a culture shock!  Schmoozing with the leading lights of world's racing is certainly a change from Wolverhampton on a rainy Monday night!


I think the only thing correct in the blog today was the opening sentence in my last race write up "This looks a wide open race with the potential to throw up a big priced winner " 
A dreadful day on the results but a great big learning curve and reminder how this all panned out last carnival....after the third or fourth week, form started to behave itself, De Kock's runners got into shape and sense prevailed!  I shall keep chipping away, collating bookie-beating info and stats for the near future - revenge shall be mine!.

Meydan

11:00

Given that I never look at anything other than a Bin Suroor or Cumani runner over 11f at Meydan on tapeta, I don't know why I bothered to look past Club Oceanic and Royal Revival but stats are only a guide and everything has to be given consideration.  Club Oceanic is Frankie's choice and stable first string but Silvestre De Sousa won on a Suroor 2nd string last week here so it would be foolish to discount his ride too lightly but I think Godolphin could well fill all the places in this race.

Club Oceanic UP (5th)

11:35

I have a shortlist of three for this:  Prince Bishop, Famusa and Mr Brock.  I believe Prince Bishop will need the run, there's a question mark over Famusa on the surface which leaves Mr Brock.  He ticks all the boxes for me and has won first time out after a lengthy lay off in the past so I've no concerns on that score.

Mr Brock UP (5th)

12:10 

War Monger is top of my list however way I look at it - the only nagging doubt is his form in fields this small.  Whenever he's run in single figure fields (which to be fair is only on four occasions), he's never even placed.  A slight worry which has me looking for a safety net choice in Sea Lord.  Being drawn in the car park last week didn't help him at all and he will have needed that first run in almost a year (he has won his 2nd race of the season twice)  At an each way price, he's worth backing as well.

War Monger (each way) UP (4th)

Sea Lord (each way) UP (8th)

12:45 

I'm going to give both Hitchens and Alo Pura a swerve today until their stables start to fire and instead opt for Reynaldothewizard.  He is proven on C&D and has the plum draw and is again partnered with Richie Mullen who teamed up for 2 of his 3 wins (all 3 here).

Reynaldothewizard UP (4th)

13:20

It has to be Mahmooba for me in this.  She's back with other fillies and mares after taking on the big boys in the UAE Derby (3rd) last season and the very rich E P Taylor stakes at Woodbine.  Christophe Soumillon has a good record here (although on occasion he can get it spectacularly wrong as well!) and although she's usually seen over longer, she won easily last time over a mile.  Rhythm Of Light can follow her home.

Mahmooba 2nd
Rhythm of Light (each way or f'cast) UP (7th)

13:55

This looks a wide open race with the potential to throw up a big priced winner if Start Right wasn’t entered!  Dubawi Star is the runner I think could pose a threat – his foray on the AW at Dundalk wasn’t at all successful (but kept his fitness topped up) and back on turf, he can make his presence felt and ought to run into a place.  A third runner to consider is Navajo Chief who is a C&D winner and shone here last season.  He has Fallon booked who has a good record when teaming up (three run resulted in a win and a third).  I don’t know if I’m brave enough to put a tricast on though……..

Start Right (win) UP (4th)

Dubawi Star (each way) UP (12th)

Navajo Chief (each way) UP (8th)