Meydan Firebreak Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

IN SUMMARY: Despite his shocking price it is difficult to oppose HEAVY METAL here who has the form to win this regardless in this field and he will be so much happier back at the mile this afternoon. Bravo Zolo may be the one for forecast backers while Fantastic Four will attempt to boost the Saudi Arabian form.

1 BRAVO ZOLO – The one and only Godolphin entry for trainer Charlie Appleby and to be ridden by jockey William Buick. This will be his first run on dirt after he finished second to D’bai here on turf in January before a five lengths plus third to Benbati earlier in the month when looking very one pace over the nine furlongs. He has won in Europe in Listed class at both Chantilly and Newmarket so is clearly a useful sort and with the mile his ideal trip he should run well, though perhaps without winning.

2 FANTASTIC FOUR – A real International challenger having last been seen winning a Group Three over a mile at Janadriyah in Saudi Arabia but he has since moved to South African trainer Neil Bruss and has his Dubai debut this afternoon. He has also won a Grade One in Argentina by fifteen lengths in 2015 and is a really interesting challenger here, though there is little collateral form to go on and it looks as if a place may be the best he can realistically hope for in this field.

3 HEAVY METAL – Clearly the form choice in this year’s line-up after a win here over the mile when beating Thunder Snow by over four lengths before that form was turned around over nine and a half furlongs here when the son of Exceed And Excel failed to see out the added distance. He should be far happier back at this trip and although he has to give away three pounds to all his rivals thanks to a penalty, his trainer seems happy enough with him and a big run is very much on the cards.

4 COSMO CHARLIE – Doug Watson refuses to give up on the son of Stay Thirty and has had him gelded since his last run to help him relax as he reports the four-year-old can get a bit worked up before and during his races. His best form saw a Listed class win here last March but he clearly needs to do a lot more than that if he wants to get involved in the finish this afternoon.

5 RICHARD PANKHURST – Formerly trained in Newmarket by John Gosden his form in Dubai hasn’t reached that expected just yet with a ten length thirteenth and a nine and a half-length seventh here on the turf over seven furlongs. Trainer Salem bin Ghadeyer reports he has worked well on the dirt ahead of his surface debut which may well bring the required improvement, and if he can repeat his 2016 Hungerford Stakes win at Newbury on this surface then he could well be a very serious player.

6 NOBELIUM – The only entry rayed less than 100 by the handicappers which clearly leaves the Kuwait trained four-year-old with a mountain to climb. Beaten twenty-eight lengths when failing to see out the ten furlongs here in a handicap last time out he ought to do better over this trip but the £2,962.96 for finishing last of six may ease connections pains a little.