Meydan Friday Preview - 28/01/22

The first selection of the afternoon at Meydan comes in the Dubai Sprint Consolation Conditions race over six furlongs and the horse that has caught the eye is Wild Majesty.

The five year old in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obeid Al Maktoum has been a horse tried over five furlongs for most of his career in France and the key to this animal looks to be good ground.

In his 13 race career he has been seen four times on good ground, winning twice, placing in another and then at Meydan last time needing the run.

Having been ran mostly on soft in France and it not suiting we have only seen glimpses of his true potential.

Now stepping up to six furlongs in his ideal conditions he has a big chance to go close in what looks an easier event than his first at Meydan last time out.

With no bet in the Graduate Stakes we move onto the Al Khail Trophy over 1m6f and in this Listed event we can't get away from the Charlie Appelby trained Kemari.

The son of Dubawi bounced onto the scene last term, finishing second in May on seasonal debut over 10f at Newmarket behind a nice type for Roger Varian.

He then made it back to back wins at Yarmouth stepping up in trip and then Royal Ascot over todays trip when putting up a superb effort in the Group Two Queen's Vase.

Since then he has found things slightly harder, not beating a horse home in the Great Voltigeur at York and then second to stablemate Manobo in the Group Two Prix Chaudenay.

He was last seen in October in the Group One Prix Royal-Oak over 1m7f on very soft ground being well beaten, with the conditions going against him.

The gelding is obviously a smart staying type that today gets back to his ideal trip and conditions and in easier company should get back on track.

One of the big races on the card is the UAE 1000 Guineas over a mile on the dirt and the Fawzi Abdulla Nass trained Shahama looks the ideal candidate to take the race.

The three year old filly was a $425,000 purchase that has only been seen twice to date, both over 7f at Meydan on the dirt.

She is the right odds on favourite for this event having won debut back in December by nine lengths and then last time out franked that form to take the 1000 Guineas Trial with plenty in hand.

Running to a similar form level sees her take this event.

A smart Listed event at Meydan on Friday sees the Zabeel Turf over 1m2f and we are giving another chance who we felt was unlucky in running last time out at Meydan.

The Charlie Appleby trained Wirko is an exceptionally well bred son of Kingman costing €700,00 and has been seen five times to date.

As a juvenile he ran twice, finishing a good second on debut at Wolverhampton, before getting off the mark at Kempton beating a nice type for John Gosden.

Back last season for his three year old campaign, he was seen twice again, making a superb debut at Epsom in the Listed Blue Riband Trial when winning from off the pace.

He was then sent to Chester for the Grade Three Chester Vase and in slower conditions was a tame fourth.

After a fair amount of time off he returned at Meydan two weeks back over 1m4f and the race did not go to plan.

We are putting that down to a bad day at the office and knowing he is better than that, hopefully he will give his true running in this.

The penultimate pick of the afternoon comes in the feature Group Two Zabeel Mile and One Ruler for Charlie Appleby looks the value.

The son of Dubawi was a very bright juvenile in 2020, racing five times, placing in three of them and winning two of them, with his highlights being when winning the Group Three Autumn Stakes and finishing a narrow second in the Group One Futurity Stakes.

As a three year old last term he struggles slightly in some very good races, finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas and then moved up in trip for the Derby finished in the same position.

Moved back down to 10f in the Hampton Court Stakes he was a seventh of nine, but gave a much better running when back down to a mile when third in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

His final outing of last season saw him finish a narrow fourth in the Listed Prix Arqana over a mile again at Deauville.

Seeming to found his trip, he was given his first run of the season at Meydan at the start of Jan when a decent sixth behind some nice horses in the Zabeel Trophy.

Having now blown the cobwebs away he should go a lot closer in this event.

The final event of the afternoon is the Listed Dubai Sprint over six furlongs and the Doug Watson trained Motafaawit looks a likely type to take this event.

Having been a nice horse in England for Richard Hannon as a three year old, he moved over to Watson in 2020 and has been a work in progress.

Having needed sometime to adjust to Meydan's track, in February 2021 the handler moved him massively down in trip from a mile to 5f and he went on to score readily.

Moved up to six furlongs for his next run he was a neck second over course and distance in a good event off a mark of 103.

He has since been seen twice more off 111, finishing a good fifth in last year's Group One Al Quoz Sprint and then on his comeback run this term was a better third in the Dubai Dash.

That event would have set him perfectly for this contest and looks the one to be on if producing the goods at a track and trip he has grown to like.