Please note the prices shown are from the UK – there is no betting in the UAE.
And there are 27 runners from Japan!!
This is going to be lengthy so getting split into two! Firstly the Godolphin Mile which is G2 with a G1 cast headed by a horse that can get us off to a good start in Bathrat Leon. He won this last year and trainer Yahagi has opted to bring him here to defend his title. He won the Turf Sprint in Riyadh and is one of the 13 horses who have continued on to Dubai, which in our book is a big advantage. Two locals could feature as well both trained by our mate Doug Watson – Isolate on 5/1 and Prince Eiji 13/2. A not quite smooth as distinct from a real roughie is another Japanese runner Win Carnelian who won a G3 in Tokyo before coming here and is on 9/1.
The Gold Cup G2 is over 3200m and doesn't have any Japanese runners. Siskany is probably the obvious choice as he's won over 2800m and Appleby-Buick says it all – 3/1. Avdakan is trained by Marco Botti in the UK and was second to Siskany in that 2800m race. Damian Lane has been booked for the ride and they are on 6/1, as is Subjectivist, something of a "born-again" horse who has rediscovered his mojo. Joe Fanning will be in the irons for Charlie Johnston. And then we go down the field to our old friend Broome who is not the worst and 12/1 probably a bit generous as is the same quote for Enemy, who looked on the track to be a very friendly horse and cannot imagine him being anyone's enemy. He was in Riyadh and ran second in the Red Sea which makes him value in what is quite an open race.
The Al Quoz Sprint is the first of the G1s and is over 1200m turf. The word on the track during the week has been Al Dasim with Mikael Barzalona riding for George Boughey but 9/4 is quite short. Hong Kong could show up here in the form of the John Size trained Sight Success with Ryan Moore booked to ride the 6yo Magnus gelding. Al Suhail is the Appleby-Buick runner and we should give a big mention here to The Astrologer for Leon and Troy Corstens with Damian Lane booked to ride the son of Zoustar. He's 14/1 and did a smart bit of trackwork the other morning.
