11:35 Meydan

Saturday 5 March 2022

All11:0011:3512:1012:4513:2013:5514:5515:3016:05

Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored By Emirates Skywards (Group 2) - Turf

Off time: 11:37 | Winning time: -

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(2)

Al Madhar¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: A Fresu| T: M Al Mheiri| OR: 97| C

25/1

Useful gelding. Career best when winning 13-runner handicap at this course (9.9f, good, 12/1) 13 days ago, keeping on well. Back up in trip and this asks a lot more.

Form: 74-4141

(8)

Alignak²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Saffie Osborne| T: J A Osborne| OR: 103| D

14/1

Smart horse. Good ½-length second of 15 to Global Storm in handicap at this C&D (good, 9/2) 22 days ago, nearest finish.

Form: 863-522

(6)

Amhran Na Bhfiann^v1¹⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: T P O'Shea| T: K Burca| OR: 110| D

40/1

Smart horse. 21 lengths eleventh of 13 to Sonnyboyliston in Irish St Leger at the Curragh (14f, good, 18/1), going off too hard. Off 174 days. First run for yard after leaving Aidan O'Brien.

Form: 401880-

(9)

Court Poet^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: R Dawson| T: A Bin Harmash| OR: 90

40/1

Fairly useful gelding. 8 lengths seventh of 13 to Appreciated in listed race (50/1) at Meydan (9.9f) 22 days ago. Up in trip. Uphill task.

Form: 0P/09-97

(3)

Global Heat^p¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: L Dettori| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 101| CD

16/1

Useful gelding. C&D winner. Creditable 6 lengths third of 15 to Manobo in Nad Al Sheba Trophy (9/1) at this course (14f, good) 15 days ago.

Form: 02-7763

(4)

Global Storm^p²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 107| CD

7/2

Smart gelding. Didn't need to improve to win 15-runner handicap at this C&D (good, 9/2) 22 days ago by ½ length from Alignak. Well worth a shot at this level.

Form: 32060-1

(14)

Hukum¹⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Jim Crowley| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 116| D

4/5

Very smart horse. 85/40, career best when winning 8-runner Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot (12f, heavy) by 6½ lengths from Eagles By Day, unchallenged. Off 154 days. Clear form pick.

Form: 131121-

(12)

Island Brave¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: S De Sousa| T: H Main| OR: 100| D

33/1

Useful horse. Latest win at Haydock in September. Creditable 6½ lengths fifth of 15 to Manobo in Nad Al Sheba Trophy (66/1) at this course (14f, good) 15 days ago.

Form: 175-085

(13)

Mekong^b1¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: Dane O'Neill| T: J A Osborne| OR: 104

50/1

Unreliable sort. Fourteen runs since last win in 2018. Creditable 9 lengths ninth of 15 to Manobo in Nad Al Sheba Trophy at this course (14f, good, 33/1) 15 days ago, met some trouble.

Form: 5/5093-9

(5)

Square De Luynes¹⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: P Cosgrave| T: N Petersen| OR: 113| D

10/1

Very smart gelding. 1/4, didn't need to improve to win 9-runner Stockholm Cup International at Bro (11.9f, good) by 3 lengths from Outbox, keeping on well. Off 167 days. Enters calculations.

Form: 1101/11-

(10)

Valyrian Steel⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: M Barzalona| T: F Nass| OR: 94| D

40/1

Useful gelding. First run since leaving Roger Varian when 19¼ lengths sixth of 9 to Lost Eden in listed race at Jebel Ali (9.7f, 14/1) 6 days ago. Back up in trip. Difficult ask.

Form: 4/5117-6

(11)

Without A Fight¹⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 109| D

16/1

Smart gelding. Career best when winning 4-runner listed race at Newmarket (12f, good to firm, 11/4) by 2¾ lengths from Fox Tal, kept up to work. May have more to offer in 2022.

Form: 238411-

(1)

Iron Butterfly⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: R Mullen| T: N Petersen| OR: 94| D

50/1

Useful filly. Three wins from 6 runs last year. 66/1, 8½ lengths eighth of 12 to Royal Fleet in Dubai Millennium Stakes at this course (9.9f, good) 8 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 31121-8

(7)

Light Of Darkness¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: G Kocakaya| T: K Melike| OR: 94

80/1

Useful filly. Five wins from 8 runs last year. Below form tenth of 16 in handicap at this course (8f, good, 80/1) 15 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 31715-0

Forecasts

Hukum (4/5), Global Storm (7/2), Square De Luynes (10/1), Alignak (14/1), Without A Fight (16/1), Global Heat (16/1), Al Madhar (25/1), Island Brave (33/1), Court Poet (40/1), Amhran Na Bhfiann (40/1), Valyrian Steel (40/1), Iron Butterfly (50/1), Mekong (50/1), Light Of Darkness (80/1)

HUKUM enjoyed a very productive 2021 campaign in Britain, and assuming he returns very close to that level, he will take some stopping. Square de Luynes is a dominant force in Scandinavia and looks the main danger, for all Without A Fight may yet have more to offer.