Jebel Ali SmartPlays: Friday March 7

Stephen Molyneux
05 March 2014

Racing comes from Jebel Ali on Friday

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Timeform's man in Dubai Stephen Molyneux brings you his three best bets for Friday's card...

"Ennobled Friend rather bucks that trend as he makes his handicap debut after just 3 starts and he could be worth risking despite a below-par run for Charlie Appleby last time..."

The opening maiden at 10:15 is quite a tricky contest with several having their first starts for new yards, but it could be worth taking a chance on the fitness of Athman who will be having his first outing since August 2012. He was last seen finishing second over the extended 7f at Beverley, not seeming to get home that day having travelled better than anything, and with that in mind the drop back to 6f looks to be in his favour. His new trainer, Satish Seemar, has a great record in maidens and the pedigree of Athman suggests he should handle the surface.

Seemar can hopefully follow up in the very next race at 10:45 with Glenleven whose sole victory came over this C&D. He isn't exactly a solid proposition having weakened tamely on two of his last three starts, but he has set a strong pace on each occasion and the form of his third to Al Razi on his penultimate strikes as being a good effort in the context of this race. The drop to 5f and switch to dirt are both positives, as is the fact he has been dropped 3 lb since his last run, so hopefully he can make all in the hands of Richie Mullen.

The 12:15 is a race for horses that have yet to win this season, so contested by disappointing sorts as a rule, but Ennobled Friend rather bucks that trend as he makes his handicap debut after just 3 starts and he could be worth risking despite a below-par run for Charlie Appleby last time. That was his first outing in 5 months having previously shaped well in a couple of maidens last season, narrowly beaten by Don't Stare on his debut at Kempton before finishing fourth behind Deglet Noor at the same track. It is quite clearly too soon to be writing him off, and he has the pedigree of one who should relish this surface so he is worth risking in a race that isn't going to take a great deal of winning.

RECOMMENDED BETS
All at Jebel Ali

Back Athman in the 10:15
Back Glenleven in the 10:45
Back Ennobled Friend in the 12:15