Meydan Preview - 06/02/20

The opening race of the day sees 15 go to post for the Meydan Classic Trial and unsurprisingly its a market in which Godolphin dominates however we've gone for their outsider of the field, 14/1 shot STORY OF LIGHT.

With just four runs under his belt so far, the Dark Angel gelding made a promising Meydan debut when ridden prominently to finish two lengths behind Platinum Star with the ground seemingly getting the better of him.

The 7f distance looks to be his favourite so far and this step up in trip from 6f last time out should suit him nicely and he looks a terrific each way price at 14/1.

The Yahsat Trophy looks wide open today with the favourite of the 10 runner field available at around 4/1 and the outsider available at as short as 20/1 but we've taken a real liking to the David Simcock trained WOVEN.

Despite being winless, he had a pretty consistent 2019 on English soil placing in four of his seven races including an impressive third in the Unibet Handicap at Newmarket.

He was a 4¼ lengths sixth of 16 on his return to Meydan in the Riveria Handicap seemingly staying on one of the best down the inside and if he improves from that run, a win here is most certainly not out of the question.

What a Colt this three year-old has been for Satish Seemar so far with two victories from his three career runs to date, all coming at Meydan.

He got off the mark at the second attempt in December to cruise home by five lengths in his first run over a mile and he then continued that form with a narrow victory over his debut nemesis Al Modayar a month ago.

Now in a field with more quality and pace which will suit him, this is a horse full on confidence and it will be no surprise to see him go and land the hat-trick here.

Todays Dubai Sprint looks set to be a cracker with the Al Maktoum gelding Ekhtiyaar heading the market at short odds but we've gone for a little outsider in Melbourne Racing Club's DREAM TODAY.

He was second behind Ekhtiyaar on his return to Meydan earlier this year and then followed it up with another impressive close second behind Roulston Scar a week later.

That experience will prove vital and if he's ridden with good positive tactics, there's no reason why he can't overturn the form with Ekhtiyaar.

Now for the big race of the day, the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge. It sees the popular British raider BENBATL go up against last years Dubai World Cup runner up GRONKOWSKI.

What makes this race so intriguing is a number of things. Benbatl, on paper, is the much superior horse. But this race isn't being run on paper, it's being run on dirt, a surface in which Benbatl has never ran on and that Gronkowski is proven on.

Both of them hold an entry to this months inaugural Saudi Cup which will be ran on dirt also and for us, the experience of GRONKOWSKI is just enough to give him the edge over Benbatl in this one.

Benbatl could quite easily take to dirt better than he took to turf but it's a big IF whereas Gronkowski has already shown his worth on this surface with a second in the 2018 Belmont Stakes behind Justify.

Also, you'd be a fool to rule out Doug Watson's Group 2 winning KIMBEAR but we believe it'll be ultimately running to finish third and not the top two.

Second in last years Group 2 Prix De Fontainebleau and formerly of Andre Fabre, he made an impressive debut last time out on yard and course debut when staying on the best of the field but just not getting up in time to lose by a nose.

Now stepped up in trip slightly to 1m 1f, going off his last run he's undoubtedly the one to beat in this field which doesn't look the strongest.

Our final pick of the day comes in the 7f Mubadala Handicap and we've gone for Godolphin's favourite BEYOND REASON.

She recorded back to back Group victories in France in 2018 but then had a fairly quiet 2019 running just twice.

She returned to action and form when 2½ lengths third of eight over a mile here three weeks ago seemingly just not having enough staying power to hang with the winner Magic Lily.

Now dropped back down to 7f, it's hard to look past her here.