We list out five things to watch out for at the Meydan Racecourse.
A Meydan debut
The China Horse Club will have their first runner at Meydan tonight. Burnt Sugar, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Richard Hughes, lines up in the Meydan Classic Trial at 8.30pm. The China Horse Club could have further runners at Meydan this season, including Orbec, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget; Auvray, trained by Ellie Lellouche also in France; and Parranda, who is stabled in America with Christophe Clement.
Ferguson in the house?
Meydan has had some high-profile sports people attend the races during the past few weeks. Golfer Lee Westwood was posting Vine videos on Twitter from Meydan last week and Premier League footballers from Stoke City were in on the act the week before. Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United, has a part share in Magic City, who runs in the Cepsa Mile, the concluding race on the seven-race card. Will he be there?
Yodelling could make some noise
Charlie Appleby believes Meydan’s dirt surface suits Yodelling, who is among a select band of fillies in the UAE 1,000 Guineas. Yodelling is by the fine dirt sire Medaglio d’Oro and is unbeaten in two starts in England. With only six in the Listed contest over 1,800 metres, even the horse that finishes last picks up $US5,000 (Dh18,400).
Al Asayl dry spell
Since taking over this season at Al Asayl from the banned Ernst Oertel, Salem Al Ketbi has struggled at Meydan. He has sent out 13 horses with only one finishing in the first five places. He runs Capital Attraction in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, but he might already be off the mark by then with any one of Richlore, Callateral and Nymphea Du Paon in the Purebred Arabian equivalent.
De Kock on point
The South African trainer Mike de Kock has hit his stride underlined by last week’s victory with Vercingetorix in the Al Rashidiya. The master of Blue Stables has 14 runners across the card tonight, so it seems likely he will be in the winners’ enclosure at some stage.
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