Dubai World Cup Carnival starts today

easily the best racing of the day takes place at Meydan, where the Dubai World Cup Carnival 2013 officially begins with the usual strong card. The first race at 15.30 CET is a Group One for Arabian-breds and the best race for thoroughbreds is the Group Two Al Maktoum Challenge (round one) over a mile on tapeta at 18.25. With no betting allowed in Dubai, bets will be settled at the British industry prices, but it would be wise not to bet heavily today, with little recent form to go on and with little knowledge of which foreign trainers are in form. That said, Barbecue Eddie (Doug Watson/ Dane O´Neill) has a fitness advantage here, having already won twice this winter over the CD. The Godolphin horses Out of Bounds (Saeed bin Suroor/ Silvestre de Sousa) and Fulbright (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Mikael Barzalona) are the obvious dangers.
Several runners have German connections, in particular on the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.40 in which Govinda (Vanja Sandrup/ Per-Anders Graberg) - ex-Andreas Wöhler- and Smooth Operator (Mario Hofer/ Adrie de Vries), Germany´ s most successful sprinters of recent seasons, both run. Govinda won at Hamburg last year and was also a good runner-up in the Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden, with Smooth Operator behind both times. The latter is better off at the weights, but we think that conditions should suit Govinda and from the number one draw he can make all the running here.
Mario Hofer´s other runner Theo Danon (de Vries) runs in the conditions race over 9 furlongs at 17.50. He needs firm ground, which he will probably get here, and we expect a good performance, although the opposition, headed by Al Shemali (Ali Rashid al Raiha/ Royston Ffrench) looks very strong. We are not so sure that the going will suit Kassiano (Saeed bin Suroor/ Ted Durcan) - ex -Werner Baltromei and William Mongil- but he is well handicapped at 17.15 and could run well on his first start for Godolphin, who have several other runners in the huge field. Our other fancy here is Spanish-trained Ariete Arrollador (Anxkorreta Elosegui/ Christophe Soumillon), who ran several good races at this meeting last year and is entered in the 7 furlongs handicap at 16.05.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Tzar Du Paon - Naseem - Quite A Show
2. Race: Lily`S Angel - Iver Bridge Lad - Ariete Arrollador
3. Race: Balmont Mast - Happy Dubai - Lui Rei
4. Race: Kassiano - Tanfeeth - Royal Empire
5. Race: So Beautiful - Sharestan - Red Duke
6. Race: Fulbright - Mufarrh - Tajaaweed
7. Race: Firebeam - Kenny Powers - Arnold Lane