There are joint features at Meydan this evening (Thursday) as the Carnival reaches its fourth week with both the Group 2 Cape Verdi and Group 2 Al Rashidiya among the seven-race on the card.
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Both are on turf with the 1,600m Cape Verdi, restricted to fillies and mares, first up and eight have been declared for what appears a wide open contest.
Rookie trainer Salem bin Ghadayer, who saddled his first winner last week, has Anahita among the octet with stable jockey Mickael Barzalona aboard.
Making her first appearance since leaving Jean-Claude Rouget in France, she showed a decent level of form and has to be respected.
She is one of only two runners in the race not representing Europe, the other being the Salem Al Ketbi-trained Oh Star, the mount of Adrie De Vries.
Champion UK Trainer Richard Hannon Jr saddles Zurigha, to be ridden by UK Champion Jockey Richard Hughes.
Wee Jean, trained by former Southampton and England footballer Mick Channon, looks a threat under Paul Hanagan, while Christophe Soumillon rides Cladocera, trained in France by Alain de Royer-Dupre.
As good a race as the Cape Verdi threatens to be, it may have to play second fiddle to the 1,800m Al Rashidiya for which a select seven have been declared.
Godolphin’s True Story was an impressive course and distance winner three weeks ago in the Listed Singspiel Stakes and could be the one to beat.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, seeking a fifth winner in the race, he will be ridden by James Doyle.
Bin Suroor said: “He won very well last time and has improved since then.
“Obviously, this is a lot tougher race but we expect him to run well.”
Mujaarib, winner of the race last year for Mike De Kock, defends his crown and is one of three in the field for the trainer who, with Soumillon, has won each of the last three renewals of the race.
Hanagan, retained by Mujaarib’s owner Sheikh Hamdan, takes over on that one with Soumillon aboard Vercingetorix and Dane O’Neill in the saddle on the trainer’s third runner, Sanshaawes.
De Kock said: “We have three nice chances in a race we have done well in the past and won six times thus far. It would be great to make it seven.
“Vercingetorix is a Group One winner here in Dubai and probably our main hope.
“Sanshaawes has the advantage of a run already this season whereas, like Vercingetorix, Mujaarib is lazy at home. He surprised us in this last year though.”
The action then moves on to Al Ain on Friday for the second leg of both the Al Ain Sprint and Marathon. TM Junior Johnson looks the one to beat in the former, with the Marathon looking at the mercy of Albar Lotois.
