Dick Powell has handicapped every race since the Dubai International Racing Carnival’s inception in 2004. He sets the morning line for the Carnival races and his selections and analysis can be found at www.amwestentertainment.com.
Race 1: S O G Engineering Maiden (6 a.m. EST)
About 7 Furlongs on the Tapeta main track
$15,000 for Northern Hemisphere 4+ and Southern Hemisphere 3+
This race will be run around one turn on the main track with a long run down the backstretch. NABAH (Motivator) has done most of her racing on the turf where she was a good second last July at Ascot going a mile. She is the highest rated runner in here but has to overcome post one. PRESS OFFICE (Street Cry) was a close second in his all weather debut at Kempton going a mile behind a winner that came back to win a handicap race there in December. KONSAL (Storm Cat) makes his career debut with a great first out pedigree being by Storm Cat out of a mare by Arazi that has produced Dubai World Cup winner ELECTROCUTIONIST.
Selections:
#10 NABAH
#4 PRESS OFFICE
#3 KONSAL
Race 3: S O G Reservoir Handicap (7:10 a.m. EST)
About 6 Furlongs on the Tapeta main track
$20,000 for Northern Hemisphere 4+ and Southern Hemisphere 3+
For horses rated 65-85
This race will be run around one turn on the main track. LORD TIGER (Tiger Hill) was a sharp winner here last out going this distance while carrying high weight. HAJJAAN (Mr. Greeley) beat this handicap level two starts back on the dirt at Jebel Ali, then came back there and ran poorly. He has a very good pedigree for the all weather track and gets Richard Hills. WADI WANDERER (Key of Luck) was no match for the top choice two starts back but then came back to win on the dirt last out.
Selections:
#1 LORD TIGER
#4 HAJJAAN
#11 WADI WANDERER
Race 4: S O G Facilities Handicap (7:45 a.m. EST)
About 1 Mile on the Tapeta main track
$20,000 for Northern Hemisphere 4+ and Southern Hemisphere 3+
For horses rated 70-90
This race will be run out of chute on the back stretch with a long run to the turn. ANTINORI (Fasiliyev) was a close third to JAMR who came back with a win and a second against Carnival competition. Seemar removes the visor and adds blinkers. PHOENIX CITY (El Prado) was good second two starts back at Kempton in his all weather debut then broke his maiden on the turf at Newmarket. DABOOS (Mr. Greeley) has put together four straight solid races against similar handicap foes.
Selections:
#1 ANTINORI
#14 PHOENIX CITY
#12 DABOOS
Race 5: S O G Logistics Handicap (8:20 a.m. EST)
About 7 Furlongs on the Tapeta main track
$25,000 for Northern Hemisphere 4 & Up and Southern Hemisphere 3 & Up
For horses rated 80-98
This race will be run around one turn on the main track. FIRESTREAK (Green Desert) was a sharp winner on the turf two starts back but was a good second the last time he raced on the Tapeta two months ago. TERTIO BLOOM (Tertullian) is winless in his two starts on the Tapeta but they were both against much better handicap foes than these. LES TROYENS (Librettist) broke his maiden on the all weather track at Deauville and ran well there two starts back.
Selections:
#2 FIRESTREAK
#5 TERTIO BLOOM
#7 LES TROYENS
Race 6: Balanchine Stakes (UAE-II) sponsored by S O G Operations (8:55 a.m. EST)
About 1 1/8 Miles on the turf
$200,000 for Northern Hemisphere 4+ and Southern Hemisphere 3+ Fillies and Mares
This race will be run around one turn on the turf with a long run into the first turn. Use the www.emiratesracing.com website to get the individual ratings of all the horses in these races. Run under weight-for-ages conditions, the higher rated horses have a big advantage in here. MAHBOOBA (Galileo) wound up on a lead she did not want last out when her stablemate broke slowly. She dug in gamely and missed by a head and should be much tougher in here. FIRST CITY's (Diktat) last race may have fallen into her lap but she has enough back class in group company to come back here and handle these. DYSPHONIA (Lonhro) ships in from Australia with a solid record on the turf. Her best race was two starts back behind MORE JOYOUS going seven furlongs and she stretches out here with Frankie Dettori aboard.
Selections:
#10 MAHBOOBA
#8 FIRST CITY
#3 DYSPHONIA
Race 7: S O G Finance Handicap (9:35 a.m. EST)
About 1 1/4 Miles on the Tapeta main track
$25,000 Northern Hemisphere 4+ and Southern Hemisphere 3+
For horses rated 80-98
This race will be run on the turf around one turn with a long run down the backstretch into the turn. EMERALD WILDERNESS (Green Desert) won three races in a row going this distance on the all weather at Lingfield to finish up last year and starts off here with William Buick in the irons. CLASP (Singspiel) stretches out in distance off some good efforts going a mile for Doug Watson and Tadhg O’Shea who always have a winner at long odds. GRAYMALKIN (Singspiel) was a sharp winner here two starts back going a mile then was a good second going a mile in fast time last out.
Selections:
#3 EMERALD WILDERNESS
#9 CLASP
#13 GRAYMALKIN