Mahab Al Shimaal Tips & Betting Preview

IN SUMMARY: An intriguing sprint that includes old stager Krypton Factor who would probably win this easily at his peak but age is catching up on him now and COMICAS looks to have a far better chance. Although well beaten last time William Buick did not have his finest hour, but if he keeps closer tabs on the leaders this time he ought to be able to put this race to bed inside the final furlong.

1 KRYPTON FACTOR – Eleven wins from fifty-three starts in total and a real money spinner for connections with over £1.3 million in win and place prize money but at the age of ten his best years may well be behind him now. He did win the Group One Golden Shaheen by two and a half lengths from Rocket Man which is easily the best form on offer here but that was back in 2012 as a four-year-old under Kieran Fallon and he is sadly not the same horse in 2018. 

2 WONDER OF QATAR – Looks outclassed on recent efforts with a four and a half-length third to Shillong in Listed class at Jebel Ali last time out leaving him with a few pounds to find. Add the fact that his stable are without a winner from twenty-five runners in the last two weeks and he becomes even easier to oppose, with his draw in the two stall perhaps the most redeeming statistic, and the only one in his favour here.

3 COMICAS – The highest rated horse in this line-up albeit only by a pound but he also has a very good draw in the three stall which may yet be enough to swing things in his favour. Owned by Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby the son of Distorted Humor won on his return to action here at Meydan when seeing off favourite Muarrab by a length and a quarter over course and distance in January at this level and followed that with a second to My Catch when perhaps left with a bit too much to do by William Buick, but he had some very decent sprinters in behind that day and may well be able to reverse that form on only two pounds better terms if kept nearer to the early pace. 

4 JORDAN SPORT – One win from four starts this season for the Dubawi gelding who is owned and trained by Fawzi Abdulla Nass who gives him his first ever outing on the dirt. He did win at Newmarket when in the care of David Simcock with Jamie Spencer in the saddle but is basically a very good handicapper and unless he improves considerably for the change of surface, he seems unlikely to be good enough to get involved in the finish here.

5 TAAMOL – Jim Crowley rides in the Hamdan Al Maktoum colours but the four-year-old is clearly not one of their better horses with a win at Newmarket in Listed class when in the care of Sir Michael Stoute a career highlight. This season he is in the care of Ali Al Rahyi but is yet to win in five starts with a second to Yalta here last time out but he was five lengths adrift at the line in a handicap and this looks considerably tougher.

6 UNITED COLOR – Although he finished second in this race back in 2015 that was at odds of 10/1 and he has only won the one start in nine races since with an eleven-length last of eight at Jebel Ali in Listed class last time out with no obvious excuses. He would do better if he broke on level terms but that seems unlikely and you simply cannot give lengths away in this standard of contest suggesting that even a place may be a big ask here. 

7 WILD DUDE – Eight wins and close to three-quarters of a million pounds in prize money suggest the son of Wildcat Heir has plenty of ability but his last win was in 2016 in a Grade Two at Santa Anita when trained in America by Jerry Hollendorfer. A stay with Mick Halford in Ireland didn’t really work and he has since moved on to Ahmad Bin Harmash but is yet to recapture his better efforts and needs to show a lot more than his twelve length fifth over the mile here last time out though the drop in trip intrigues and he may yet run a decent enough race.

8 YALTA – A winner last time out for under fire trainer Salem bin Ghadayer when taking a course and distance handicap by an easy five lengths leaving Taamol in his wake. He meets that rival on five pounds better terms today so really ought to confirm that form if he gets out smartly enough to make the running from a less than favourable draw in the eight stall.

9 DUBAI ONE – Clearly the Godolphin second string but an interesting ride for Oisin Murphy and a horse who could yet get involved in the finish. He never got involved at all on his dirt debut here when twenty-one lengths adrift of Yalta, yet trainer Saeed bin Suroor perseveres on this surface which suggests that he may have simply had an off day.  He has already won at Kempton, Newcastle, Wolverhampton (twice) and Lingfield and although none of those efforts were in this class he could run well though his high draw isn’t exactly in his favour.

10 MY CATCH – A very good winner last time out when catching Comicas off guard and strolling home by four lengths over course and distance. Now a seven-year-old, Doug Watson’s gelding would have been an obvious selection were it not for his poor draw in the ten stall, and although he still seems sure to put in a massive challenge, it will take some effort from jockey Pat Dobbs to get him to the front for this stall and there is every possibility he will sulk if that is the case.

11 RAVEN’S CORNER – A maiden winner for John Gosden at Doncaster in July 2016 before moving to Satish Seemar in January the following year and with three wins from six starts since including by seven lengths last time out in a seven-furlong handicap here. He did finish close to ten lengths behind Comicas on his only previous try in this sort of grade and will need to improve again to take a hand in this company as well.