15:15 Meydan

Friday 12 January 2024

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:3518:10

Palm Beach Towers Presented By Nakheel Handicap - Dirt

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 1m 25.04s

Settings

(2)

Morning⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: R Mullen| T: B Seemar| OR: 100| C

5/2

Course winner, latest in December. 14/1, below form 13¼ lengths fifth of 12 to Tuz in Dubawi Stakes at this course (6f) 7 days ago. Shortlisted back in a handicap.

Form: 49351-5

(1)

Road Bloc²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: O Chavez| T: O Refai| OR: 100| CD

14/1

C&D winner. 12 lengths sixth of 9 to Isolate in Al Maktoum Mile Stakes at this course (8f, 16/1) 21 days ago. May do better back in a handicap.

Form: 891036-

(8)

Bay Of Honour^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: T P O'Shea| T: B Seemar| OR: 99| D

15/2

22/1, 5 lengths seventh of 10 to Colour Up in listed race at this course (6f) 35 days ago.

Form: 10/0607-

(9)

Magic Petition^b⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Beasley| T: Ahmad Harmash| OR: 99| C

7/1

Course winner. Below form 13¾ lengths sixth of 12 to Tuz in Dubawi Stakes at this course (6f, 33/1) 7 days ago.

Form: 16924-6

(3)

Thegreatcollection²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: A de Vries| T: D Watson| OR: 97| CD

25/1

4-time course winner. Sixteen runs since last win in 2020. Below form eighth of 14 in handicap (7/1) at Jebel Ali (7f) 27 days ago. Veteran with strong form to his name but needs to show more on this season's efforts.

Form: 938488-

(4)

Kal Barg²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ben Coen| T: Michael Costa| OR: 95

3/1

Career best when winning 15-runner maiden (9/4) at Jebel Ali (6f) 27 days ago. Has to be taken seriously on handicap debut.

Form: 3/42341-

(7)

Meshakel^b,t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Mickael Barzalona| T: Salem Ghadayer| OR: 95| CD

25/1

C&D winner. Ninth of 14 in handicap (14/1) at Jebel Ali (7f) 27 days ago. Booking of Barzalona a plus.

Form: 2/36389-

(5)

Echo Point⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Cristian Demuro| T: M Al Mheiri| OR: 92

6/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2021. 11¾ lengths eleventh of 16 to Laneqash in listed race at Abu Dhabi (8f, good) 40 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 0/95470-

(6)

Tafreej^b1¹²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Jim Crowley| T: A Badwawi| OR: 92| BF

6/1

6/4, second of 8 in minor event at Ascot (7f, good to firm), conceding first run. Off 126 days. Makes dirt debut. First run for yard after leaving William Haggas.

Form: 341442-

Forecasts

Morning (5/2), Kal Barg (3/1), Echo Point (6/1), Tafreej (6/1), Magic Petition (7/1), Bay Of Honour (15/2), Road Bloc (14/1), Thegreatcollection (25/1), Meshakel (25/1)

A tricky handicap where it may be best to focus on the lightly-raced pair KAL BARG and Morning, with preference for the former on the back of a thumping reappearance success. Thegreatcollection has the form in the book and gets the nod for third.