Dubai City Of Gold Tips & Betting Preview

IN SUMMARY: If the five-year-old HAWKBILL is at his best then he wins this and does so with ease. He has won plenty of contests already including the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in 2016, and that sort of form puts him a long way clear of any of these rivals.

1 EARNSHAW – Not out of this by any stretch with a length and three-quarters third to Folkswood over ten furlongs last time out when running on strongly. Up to the mile and a half now he could do even better, and a big challenge is expected with a place very much a possibility.

2 FRONTIERSMAN – James Doyle rides for Charlie Appleby on the son of Dubawi who was last seen finishing third to Watersmeet over two miles at Wolverhampton. Down in trip and massively up in class he rarely runs two races the same and is hard to suggest for exactly that reason regardless of trainer and jockey being in good form.

3 CALLED TO THE BAR – Stays this trip as proved with a Group Three win at Saint-Cloud in May last year and anything but disgraced last time out when second to Oscar Performance in the Belmont Derby in New York in July. Off for eight months now and may well improve for the race here but a classy sort who is well worth watching for future reference. 

4 JANSZOON – A high class handicapper with two wins here in January and interesting to see Silvestre de Sousa taking the ride on a horse that looks to have very little chance in this class. Only beaten a neck over course and distance last time his stamina seems assured but sadly for connections, his class does not.

5 ELHAAME – One of the more intriguing alternative for Saeed bin Suroor and fully entitled to strip a lot fitter now after his first run in over a year when eighth here over ten furlongs last month. Godophin clearly think he is better than we have seen so far to keep the son of Acclamation in training and he may well prove it here with a serious attack on the minor places.

6 GOLD STAR – The second Saeed bin Suroor runner here and with Jim Crowley in the saddle as he looks to win his fourth race on only his eighth start. Yet to score in Listed or Group company this is obviously a leap of faith by connections and he will need to do a lot more than his recent third to stable companion Walton Street over course and distance and much as he may do better, he is pretty hard to fancy here.

7 NEWLANDS – Sure to be better suited to this step up in trip after running on in to fourth over a mile and a quarter here earlier in the month, but still basically a decent handicapper and unlikely to find his way in to the finish. Yet to repeat his better Kranji (Singapore) form elsewhere, but hats off to connections for giving it a try.

8 MEMORIAL DAY – Four wins from twelve starts so far but nothing in Pattern company and looks up against it again here. Finished a nine length third to Best Solution last month when trying to make all the running and may well tow the better horses along from the off again if he can get over quickly enough from this draw. Gerald Mosse rides so he will not be lacking any experience from the saddle. 

9 TROUBLE OF COURSE – A Group Three winner in Norway when taking the Marit Sveaas Minnelop last August, but he has struggled in Dubai with a seven and three-quarter length seventh of fourteen in a mile and a quarter handicap her at the beginning of the month. Steps up in trip for the first time but his half-brother won over this trip three times and placed at close to two miles and it may even bring some improvement.

10 AL SAHEM – A South African raider who moved from Sean Tarry to Mike de Kock for an International campaign after finishing second to Marinaresco in the Durban July in 2017. Beaten in both runs here at Meydan he steps up in trip now after a five length fifth to Folkswood over ten furlongs and if he is now fully fit we may get to see just how good the South African form really is.

11 HAWKBILL – Top class when at his very best with a win in the group one Coral Eclipse in 2016 and second places in the Group One Grosser Preis von Berlin and the Grade One Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine in Canada last time out. He hasn’t been seen since that race in September so his fitness has to be taken on trust but he is by far the best horse here on huis day and may well be good enough even if he isn’t 100% race-fit. 

12 GILT COMPLEX – Another challenger from Singapore only this time Adrie De Vries has been booked to ride and he is exceptional around this track. So far his Kranji form hasn’t lived up to expectations with a last of ten here in February, fifteen lengths adrift of winner Folkswood, and on that form he simply cannot win in this company.

13 TREASURY NOTES – Tries this extended trip for the first time and has every chance of staying if taking after his dam’s side of the family. Eight length behind Janoobi over the mile here last month and expected to go off at a huge price today and highly unlikely to bother the major payers today either.

14 BEST SOLUTION – The final Saeed bin Suroor runner and a decent one at that after a win here over course and distance in his warm-up race in a handicap in February. He has already won at Group Three level at Newbury in the St Simon Stakes and if he can repeat that effort here then he ought to be a major worry to them all this afternoon under jockey Pat Cosgrave.