Meydan Tips & Betting Preview 09/02/2017

More handicaps than normal at Meydan on Thursday afternoon but that just means better prices as the countdown continues to what is now the second richest race in the World and the Dubai World Cup meeting at the end of March.

• Meydan £492 Each Way Double
• Meydan £71 Win Double

3.05pm Meydan Classic TrailSponsored by Jaguar XF –  7f Turf

South African trainer Mike de Kock has the dark horse here with the once raced Vaal winner Daqeeq who will be ridden by Jim Crowley, but whose form is yet to be really tested and is very much an unknown quantity. He is well worth watching for future contests but the value seems to lie with Michael O’Callaghan’s Mirdif (6/1) who has the assistance of Pat Smullen in the saddle. Admittedly he hasn’t been seen since the first of August last year but his overall form stacks up very nicely if he can bring that to Dubai on his first outing here. His only win so far was on soft going at Leopardstown but they do water well here to take the sting out of the ground, and he has a third to Peace Envoy in the Group Three  Anglesey Stakes at The Curragh to his name which looks to be the stand out form. Add a four and a half length sixth in the Group Two Railway Stakes at The Curragh inJune and his abilities are there for all to see and if he is race fit after his lay-off he looks te one to beat this afternoon.

3.40pm Meydan Range Rover Sport Handicap 1m 2f Dirt

It now looks as though Emotionless (10/3) will never be the horse Godolphin once hoped after he won his first two races including the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster which he took by three and a half lengths at odds on in September 2015. Injury struck in his next race when last to Air Force Blue in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and sadly, he has never looked the same horse in three outings since. Last time out he finished sixth in a group Two here on his first run in the dirt but he had a poor draw in the ten stall (better today in the four box), and as a large framed beast he seems sure to improve for the outing. The drop in to handicap company does look close to his last chance but he is well worth considering here if he can get back to just 75% of his very best.

4.50pm UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed Race) 1m Dirt

Saudi Arabian raider Nashmiah is the unknown quantity here and puts her unbeaten record on the line but it seems unlikely that any of these runners will be capable of mounting a serious challenge to Saeed Bin Suroor’s Really Special (8/13) who has done her best to live up to her name so far with three wins out of three starts. A maiden at Chelmsford was followed by a Listed race at Newmarket which was her lot for last season before she reappeared here at the end of January for her first race of the year. Sent off a fraction of odds on in the seven furlong 1000 Guineas trial she was very impressive in scoring by three and a quarter lengths running on strongly. Admittedly that was not the strongest ever race but she does seem to have scared off any serious opposition, and she is difficult if not impossible to oppose this afternoon.

5.25pm Range Rover Handicap 7f Turf

If the odds makers have this correct then Fire Fighting is the most likely winner but he represents zero in the way of value and may well be worth opposing with Rene Mathis (12/1) who runs here for the ever shrewd Richard Fahey. Last time out he finished runner up to the early favourite, beaten two and a half lengths at the line, but he seems sure to strip fitter now after his first race since finishing fourth at Chester in May last year. Better still, he meets his conqueror on five pounds better terms for two and a half lengths which ought to make things a lot closer between the pair of them, and at almost six times his rival’s price he looks solid value each way at the very least.