Godolphin Mile Tips & Betting Preview 2018

IN SUMMARY: As competitive as you would expect for the money and the kudos but it may be worth taking a chance on KIMBEAR (Each Way) here who won the Burj Nahaar here last time out when seeing off likely favourite Heavy Metal and althouhh a lower draw would have increased his chances dramatically he may have enough early pace to get to the front when he wants to and if that is the case he will take some passing close home.

1 CAPEZZANO – He has his first run for trainer Sandeep Jadhav while Salem Bin Ghadayer serves his one-year suspension, but he looks to have plenty to find whoever’s name is in his corner. He did make all the running for a course and distance win in February but that was just a handicap and he was found out last time when well beaten in Round Three of the Al Maktoum Challenge when covered up but he could make them all go a bit if going off in front again with the excellent Mike Smith in the saddle.

2 SECOND SUMMER – One of four in this contest trained in Dubai by Doug Watson but it seems fair to assume he is not the first string.  Last time out all he could manage was an eighteen length fourth to North America in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three, and he clearly has an awful lot to find on that form here despite winning this race last year by a neck at odds of 20/1, similar to those expected this afternoon in the Dubai sun.

3 MUNTAZAH – Very possibly the Doug Watson number one for leading owner Hamdan Al Maktoum and after a length and three-quarter win in the HH The President Cup in Abu Dhabi over a furlong shorter last time out. This will be the ex-Owen Burrows trained five-year-old’s first run on dirt, but connections have worked him on it successfully for some time now and he could surprise a few here at a decent price with Jim Crowley in the saddle.

4 MUSAWAAT – Three places on the bounce now for the son of Equiano who was last seen finishing a length and three-quarter third to Kimbear here in the Group Three Burj Nahaar over course and distance when running on well after being held up perhaps a touch too long by Silvestre de Sousa. He did finish ahead of favourite Heavy Metal that day and certainly looks overpriced in the circumstances with Adrie de Vries taking over in the saddle today.

5 ADIRATO – Japanese challenger Adirato hasn’t got the best set of form figures on offer here but you can never underestimate their challengers anywhere in the racing World these days. His first run on the Meydan dirt saw him weaken quickly to be beaten nineteen lengths by Thunder Snow in the UAE Derby where he patently failed to see out the nine and a half furlongs and he should be a lot happier back at the mile here.

6 SPECIAL FIGHTER – Ought to start at a big price in this field after finishing a twenty-seven length fifth to North American here earlier in the month. That was his first run since re-joining trainer Musabbeh Al Mheri from Maria Ritchie recently and he is better than that looked but still has plenty to find in this line-up though a visor is on this afternoon in an attempt to bring enough improvement to mount a challenge.

7 SHAMAAL NIBRAS – A decent enough gelding with nine wins from fifty-one starts and over £300,000 in win and place prize money for his grateful owners. He did win a Group Three at Jebel Ali in January but has never looked competitive in this sort of class and ought to finish nearer last than first in this field despite the assistance of Dane O’Neill from the saddle.

8 ECONOMIC MODEL – One of the more intriguing runners heading over with the excellent Chad Brown for his first race in Dubai after winning the Grade Three Hal’s Hope Stakes at Gulfstream in February, and although that looks to come up a little short of requirement now, American dirt form can be superior to elsewhere, and a challenge for the places looks to be on the cards.

9 HEAVY METAL – It will be intriguing to see how Ryan Moore gets on with the now eight-year-old who is all set to go off favourite here despite a poor and below par efforts last time out. A length and three-quarters fourth to Kimbear at odds of 4/5 will have cost his supporters dearly and he has to reverse that form with the winner, runner up Secret Ambition, and third placed Musawaat here on the same terms, and has to pull a little more out of the fire to do so despite all his previous efforts.

10 SECRET AMBITION – Sateesh Seemar is as popular as any other local trainer in Dubai and has a lively challenger here in Secret Ambition who has a good record here at Meydan with four of his seven career wins at this track, and one over course and distance. Last time out he was second to Kimbear but ahead of the favourite and others here, but there is still a suspicion that he may struggle over a truly run mile in this class with the majority of his wins over seven furlongs.

11 AKITO CRESCENT – The second Japanese challenger and with a race record of six wins from nineteen races he cannot be ignored even if his success in a Grade Three at Tokyo in November 2017 was his best run yet. Last time out he finished twelfth of thirteen in the Negishi Stakes back at Tokyo but he is another whose stamina is in question regardless with his draw in the eleven stall a real negative giving him even further to travel.

12 KIMBEAR – Holds the favourite and others on his recent win here in the Burj Nahaar and clearly doesn’t mind a fight as he went eyeball to eyeball with the jolly that day before seeing him off close home. Whether he can get to the front quickly enough from this draw without using up too much petrol is the big question but at the prices he has to have a decent each way chance.

13 ROSA IMPERIAL – Unusual to only see one Godolphin runner in a race such as this but they have decided to rely on Andre Fabre’s daughter of Pivotal who won her first three races at Fontainebleau, and twice at Maisons-Laffitte at up to six furlongs. Two races since have seen a ninth at Deauville in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest and a staying on second to City Light at Chantilly over six and a half furlongs on the polytrack. Lightly raced for her age she may well have a lot more to come and could well challenge for the places if jockey Mickael Barzalona can get her the cover she needs to nurse her home over this trip.

14 RAVEN’S CORNER – A winner two races back when seeing off Kimbear by seven lengths and if she could repeat that then she would have to been as a major player. Another who likes to make the running and thus avoid the kickback but getting there from the fourteen stall looks a mammoth task, though her first try at a mile intrigues and may even bring further improvement for local trainer Satish Seemar.