With the richest night in horse racing coming up this Saturday, March 25, Geoffrey Riddle and Amith Passela analyse each of the races before the main event (picks for which you can find here).
Click or swipe through for our picks on each race. More coverage
Godolphin Mile
This is probably a straight shoot-out between the crack American challenger Sharp Azteca and local hope North America, who was recently bought by Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic.
The pair are drawn together respectively in six and seven and both have early gate speed. There is a danger that jockeys Edgar Zayas and Richard Mullen could get sucked in to a speed duel, and with Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Heavy Metal drawn in eight the early fractions could be frightening. If they do go too fast up front, the likes of Le Bernardin, Stormadal and Japanese runner Kafuji Take could all profit to cause an upset.
Predictions: 1. Sharp Azteca 2. North America 3. Heavy Metal
Dubai Kahayla Classic
After the defeat to RB Burn in his first start of the season, AF Mathmoon has racked up three impressive victories, including an eight-and-a-half length trouncing of his conqueror. On that showing, AF Mathmoon’s form looks rock solid to replicate the success he had in the race 12 months ago. RB Burn’s camp can take a lot of positives from his recent win in the Group 1 Liwa Oasis while Handassa and RB Dixie Burning along with last year’s runner up TM Thunder Struck are expected to go close. Faucon Du Loup can spring a surprise while Reda’s chances must be respected as his trainer Julian Smart would not have travelled if he did not have a chance.
Predictions: 1. AF Mathmoon 2. RB Burn 3. Handassa
Dubai Gold Cup
One of the most competitive races of the night. Last year’s winner Vazirabad was a little ring rusty when outpointed by Saeed bin Suroor’s Beautiful Romance in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy last month but this is over 400 metres further and that suits the French grey better. English trainer Michael Bell is very bullish about Big Orange, who was second 12 months ago, but all of them could be undone by Quest For More. Jamie Spencer has been stood down from the ride aboard Big Orange by the owner, so it would be some revenge in a $US1 million (Dh4.5m) race were he and Quest For More to secure the verdict.
Predictions: 1. Quest For More 2. Big Orange 3. Vazirabad
UAE Derby
Mike de Kock has so much faith in Fawree that he has hired a horse whisperer to help the mount of Bernard Fayd’Herbe load in to the stalls after he unseated his jockey at Super Saturday. Fawree is one of the more plausible winners of a tricky-looking race, but until you know he has left the starting gates he is not one to place total faith in. Godolphin have a strong hand with three runners, but proven Group 1 winner Thunder Snow has been drawn wide. Top Score and Fly At Dawn are worth considering, but do not discount Brazilian Group 1 winner Vettori Kin. American trainer Kenny McPeek has long had this race in mind.
Prediction: 1. Fly At Dawn 2. Top Score 3. Vettori Kin
Al Quoz Sprint
Old rivals Ertijaal and Jungle Cat are drawn side-by-side in the middle and could easily settle down to fight out the finish. Ertijaal will come flying out of the gates in an effort to lower his own course record, and the Godolphin runner will enjoy a good tow in to the race from the favourite. The local runners will be pincered from each side by the two fancied international raiders in Hong Kong’s Amazing Kids in gate one, and Brtain’s Limato, who will break from gate 11.
Prediction: 1. Ertijaal 2. Limato 3. Amazing Kids
Dubai Golden Shaheen
Favourite Mind Your Biscuits has been handed the nightmare draw in gate 14. No horse in the 21-race history of the Golden Shaheen has ever won from so wide, although that history stretches back to different surfaces and racecourses. The fact that the American sprinter likes to be off the pace means he could easily be trapped out there for the whole race. Local hero Reynaldothewizard similarly could be shunted out from gate 12, and front-running US raider St Joe Bay also has a tough passage from gate 11.
The $2m sprint looks ripe for an upset, and with last year’s winner Muarrab not the same horse as 12 months ago it could easily fall to Doug Watson’s Cool Cowboy or even Dhruba Selvaratnam’s Morawij, who was third last year from gate nine but emerges from gate two.
Prediction: 1. Cool Cowboy 2. Morawij 3. Muarrab
Dubai Turf
Zarak looked an exceptional talent when the French raider effortlessly took the Dubai Millennium Stakes last month. On Super Saturday it was Decorated Knight’s turn to pick up the gauntlet when he won the Group 1 Jebel Hatta. Both horses offer huge amounts of promise, but Godolphin’s Ribchester and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Mutakayyef have the form in the book. Japanese horses have won on two of the last three occasions and the filly Vivlos should not be discounted. She may not have looked special on her return off a layoff in February, but prior to that she was a decent Grade 1 winner.
Prediction: 1. Mutakayyef 2. Zarak 3. Vivlos
Dubai Sheema Classic
Postponed did not look the same horse when just beaten by Godolphin’s Prize Money in the Dubai City Of Gold three weeks ago as when an imperious winner 12 months ago. He was awkward during the parade and bucked at the start. During the closing stages Andrea Atzeni was all out on him and incurred a ban for using his whip too often. Trainer Roger Varian insists that the break has done Postponed the world of good and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s charge remains the best horse in the race. Highland Reel could well get an easy lead under Ryan Moore, however, while Jack Hobbs, Seventh Heaven and Godolphin’s Prize Money are all worth a second look.
Prediction: 1. Highland Reel 2: Jack Hobbs 3: Prize Money
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