French Runners Look to Continue Winning Ways at Meydan
1.50 Meydan, Dubai Gold Cup
Vazriabad has won the last two Dubai Gold Cups and he looks a solid bet to do so again. He made a promising return here to finish second to Rare Rhythm in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy on March 1st, the same placing in the same race as last year before taking the Gold Cup.
He does have nearly two lengths to make up on Rare Rhythm, but with today race being the target he is fancied to come on enough to make up the difference. He has won the last two editions by a neck and at 5/2 he’s the bet to be produced late again for another narrow victory.
Recommended bet
Vazirabad, 5/2 William Hill
3.05 Meydan, Al Quoz Sprint
Blue Point and Jungle Cat are going to be tough to beat with home field advantage, but it could be worth chancing Peter Miller’s Conquest Tsunami at big odds.
Conquest Tsunami survived the San Luis Rey fire in December 2017 that cost the lives of many California based race horses. He broke loose and was missing for several days, but luckily he escaped injury and returned to racing better than ever.
He won the grade 3 Daytona Stakes last month, beating stable-mate and Breeders Cup Sprint winner Stormy Liberal. He was getting 4lb from his stable-mate, but he was a comfortable winner and he should confirm placings again off level weights. Even at the age of 6 he looks to have improved greatly in his last two runs, winning both races, adapting well to the Santa Anita downhill course. If he can carry that improvement over to a straight 6 furlongs here, he could lead all the way at 20/1.
Recommended bet
Conquest Tsunami, 20/1
3.40 Meydan, Dubai Golden Shaheen
Last year’s Breeders Cup Sprint winner Roy H is going to be hard to beat, but it could be worth chancing the winner of this race last year, Mind Your Biscuits each-way.
Mind Your Biscuits, a winner also of the Breeders Cup Sprint has shown his liking for course and distance and with the three American sprinters looking to have it between them he looks a fairly safe each-way bet, with chances of winning again.
Recommended bet
Mind Your Biscuits, 6/1 each-way
5.50 Meydan, Dubai World Cup
The American raiders usually dominate this race and they have probably their best representitive in training in Bob Bafferts West Coast. Baffert has won three Dubai World Cup’s, including last year with Arrogate. The American mare Forever Unbridled, the winner of last year’s Breeders Cup Distaff isn’t without a chance and 9/1 is a decent price. Both of the American horses are coming here fresh but I’m tempted to chance Andre Fabre’s Talismanic, especially if his other dirt runner, Rosa Imperial runs respectably in the Godolphin mile.
He spent the early part of last season being dominated by Tiberian, but his last three races have been a class apart. He beat a class field in the Breeders Cup Turf, followed by second place in the Hong Kong Vase and last time out a smooth win on the Chantilly polytrack, with Cloth Of Stars back in second.
Though he has never raced on dirt, he is dirt bred, by the Breeders Cup winner Medgalia d’Oro and he was impressive when taking to a synthetic surface for the first time. Andre Fabre seems to be giving out positive signals about his chances, as dominant as the American’s are in this race, this year’s entrants don’t look up to the class of an Arrogate or California Chrome.
If Andre Fabre’s Rosa Imperial and Cloth Of Stars put in respectable performances in their respective races then his Talismanic is the bet here, otherwise, Forever Unbridled could be the one to take on West Coast.
Recommended bet
Talismanic, 12/1
Forever Unbridled, 9/1
