Tipping / Stephen Molyneux / 22 March 2012 /

With little over a week to go before World Cup night at Meydan, Timeform's Dubai Handicapper Stephen Molyneux warms up by bringing you his three best bets on Friday's card at Jebel Ali...

Red Eyes just has the maiden win to his name but hopefully he can somewhat belatedly add to that when taking the opening handicap at 10:10. He took a couple of starts to find his form for his current yard having been trained by Brian Meehan last year, finishing placed at the track (second to Tesslam) and at Meydan (third to Street Act) before seeming to lose his form again. Those poor efforts did coincide with a drop to seven furlongs however and he duly returned to form last time when stepped up to Friday's sort of trip (10f) at Meydan. He was set plenty to do that day behind Hadba and, whilst the deployment of such tactics again wouldn't be ideal at this track, he has shown before that he can race close to the pace. He is now 5 lb lower than when finishing placed earlier in the season and he remains unexposed granted such a test.

Escape Route looked better than ever when winning a minor event last time, a view not shared by the handicapper as his mark was untouched following that victory, and he should go close to following up in the 11:30. He struggled in a couple of Carnival events earlier in the year before returning to form at Jebel Ali when second behind Five Cents. The pair meet on the same terms here but Escape Route stepped up his revival next time when beating Atlantic Brave whereas Five Cents has produced a couple of shockers which suggest he may have had enough for the season. These are Escape Route's ideal conditions and whilst the upwardly mobile Youm Mutamiez is a big threat, Escape Route should offer the better value.

Alo Pura was selected here last time over five furlongs but in hindsight she probably finds things happening too quickly for her over that trip nowadays and she should be far more at home over a furlong further when she lines up in the final event of the season at Jebel Ali at 13:15. That poor effort behind Russian Rock is the only blemish on an otherwise fine season for Alo Pura, the highlight of which was a victory over course and distance in December when comfortably beating Mujaazef. She got no luck in running behind Captain Obvious next time before running a fine third behind Hitchens in the Al Shindagha Sprint, again not really getting the run of things. A repeat of either of those efforts will see her win.

Timeform SmartPlays

Back Red Eyes in the 10:10
Back Escape Route in the 11:30
Back Alo Pura in the 13:15

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