Super Thursday at Meydan

The new Dubai track at Meydan stages its most important meeting so far with today´s Super Thursday, with 5 group races, all of them trials for Dubai World Cup Day at the end of the month. From the German point of view, the most interesting race is the Dubai City of Gold, a Group Two event over 1 1/2 miles on turf at 18.35 CET. Quijano (Peter Schiergen/ Andrasch Starke) and Titurel (Manfred Hofer/ Olivier Peslier) both run here, and while the former is higher rated, it should not be forgotten that the latter was very unlucky last time.

Quijano runs in this event aevery yar as his preparation for the heema Clasc and won it in 2007. The opposition looks very strong, but we shall certainly be disappointed if he cannot turn the tables on Halicarnassus, who finished in front of home last time. Anmar, Campanologiest and Purple Moon are probably the 3 most dangerous opponents. The al Maktoum Challenge (Round Three) over 10 furlongs on tapeta at 19.10 has attracted a very strong entry, wih several major candidates for the World Cup itself, including the Japanese supermare Vodka (Katsuhito Sumii/ Christophe Lemaire), Cavalryman (Saed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori) - third in the race last year- and Gloria de Campeoa (Pascal Bary/ Tiego Pereira)- runner-up in last year´s big race - all engaged. Otherwise we expect to see German -owned War Artist (James Eustace/ Peslier) in the 6 furlongs race at 17.15 and Skysurfers (Suroor/ Dettrori) over a mile at 17.50 follow up their recent easy victories by scoring again.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: No Risk Al Maury - Jinad - Kandar Du Falgas
2. Race: Mendip - Della Barba - Vale Of York
3. Race: War Artist - Montpellier - Force Freeze
4. Race: Skysurfers - Forgotten Voice - Al Arab
5. Race: King Of Rome - Anmar - Quijano
6. Race: Gloria De Campeao - Cavalryman - Vodka
7. Race: Alexandros - Presvis - Ibn Battuta