The Dubai
Carnival concludes with the glittering spectacle of World Cup night
when there are seemingly untold riches on offer to the winners.
The meeting at
Meydan is always competitive and attracts plenty of horses sprinkled
with stardust from around the world.
Because the
quality of the fields is so deep, you can often find even Group One
winners available at big prices and they are always worth a look in
the betting.
Here are five
horses entered for different races on World Cup night who are
currently available at big prices:
CASPAR
NETSCHER
David Simcock
likes to send runners out to Dubai and his six-year-old Caspar
Netscher has one of the more interesting profiles of those likely to
tackle the Al Quoz Sprint over five furlongs. As a juvenile, Caspar
Netscher was twice a Group Two winner over six furlongs. He won the
Greenham Stakes over seven furlongs on his first start at three and,
after finishing unplaced in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, he went on
to win the German equivalent over a mile. His form somewhat plateaued
after that and, as a five-year-old, he only reappeared in August last
year when well beaten in the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. He had
three more runs before
winning the Grade Two Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine over
six furlongs. That success secured a place in the field for the
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and he finished eighth to Bobby’s
Kitten, beaten three lengths. On his only run since, he was beaten
just a short head and a head by Sir Maximilian in Dubai. That was his
first run over five furlongs since his two-year-old days. He is
probably short of being genuine Group One class, but he will strip
fitter for that warm-up over five furlongs.
JUST THE
JUDGE
Just
The Judge set a British auction record for a filly last
December when sold for 4.5million guineas. The five-year-old is a
two-time Group One winner, who is entered in the Dubai Duty Free and
was bought to be kept in training. Just The Judge was second to Sky
Lantern in the 1000 Guineas in 2013 before taking the Irish version.
She was then third to Sky Lantern in the Coronation Stakes before
going off the boil on two subsequent runs. It took time for Just The
Judge to hit form last season as well, as she twice finished behind
Thistle Bird before taking third place in the Beverly D. Stakes at
Arlington Park. She then won the Grade One E.P. Taylor Stakes at
Woodbine before finishing third to Dayatthespa in the Breeders’ Cup
Filly & Mare Turf. The intermediate trip of nine furlongs in the
Duty Free shouldn’t be an issue, but she has only run twice against
the colts in her career.
SHAISHEE
A maiden when
with Charlie Hills, Shaishee has shown gradual improvement since
moving out to Dubai over trips ranging from six furlongs to a
mile. The
five-year-old put himself in line for a tilt at the Golden
Shaheen when winning the Group Three Mahab Al
Shimaal last time over six furlongs. Shaishee ran on strongly that
day to beat United Color by three-quarters of a length, with Krypton
Factor back in fifth. Shaishee will be staying on at the finish and
could run well at a big price.
SHEIKHZAYEDROAD
Another runner
from the Simcock stable, Sheikhzayedroad finished ninth in the Dubai
Gold Cup over two miles last year. The Sheema Classic over a
mile-and-a-half looks to be the target this time and the
six-year-old won
the Grade One Northern Dancer at Woodbine over
that trip last season. That came on the back of a Listed and Group
Two success before the season ended with a sixth to Noble Mission
over 10 furlongs in the Champion Stakes when he stayed on past beaten
horses. A second to Sky Hunter in the Dubai City of Gold should put
Sheikhzayedroad in the right condition to run a big race.
SIDE GLANCE
A regular at the
Carnival, Side
Glance is 33/1 at the time of writing with betfair for the Dubai
World Cup, despite finishing fourth in the last two
runnings of the race. The eight-year-old skipped the Winter Derby at
Lingfield and Andrew
Balding’s globe-trotter is expected to run in Dubai.
Side Glance’s last 16 runs have all been at Group One level, and he
has struck once when winning the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington in
November 2013. Side Glance was only beaten half a length in fourth by
Adelaide in the Cox Plate on his last run in October as injury ruled
him out of another crack at the Mackinnon Stakes. At eight, how much
ability he retains has to be guessed at, but he is reported to be in
good form and he is a tempting price at 40/1.