Timeform Dubai SmartPlays: Meydan, Thursday January 17

Stephen Molyneux
17 January 2013

Mahmood al Zarooni (left) trains two of the selections.

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A good start to the Carnival last week with a couple of winning SmartPlays. Timeform's Dubai Handicapper, Stephen Molyneux, hopes to keep the ball rolling with three more selections...

"Mahmood Al Zarooni could easily follow up in the very next race at 15:05 with Naqshabban looking to hold sound claims of supplementing his win at the Carnival last year..."

It quickly became apparent last week that Saeed bin Suroor had his string well forward, Mike de Kock perhaps not so with Mahmood Al Zarooni somewhere in the middle, the latter having just the 3 runners but Fulbright did well enough in finishing third behind Barbecue Eddie and that performance raises hope for a bold showing from Mariner's Cross in the opening handicap at 14:30. The selection is officially still a maiden, his 'win' in the Wood Ditton subsequently erased due to a failed drugs test but it did highlight his potential in a race that traditionally works out well. He more than confirmed that on his only other outing when second to Noble Mission in a listed contest at Newmarket, the merit of that run well advertised throughout the season with the winner going onto better things and the third, Michelangelo, scoring in a valuable sales race and also reaching a place in the St. Leger. Mariner's Cross has been off since then, an absence that would normally set the alarm bells ringing, but we know with Godolphin that they like to aim their horses at the Carnival and Mariner's Cross should be spot on for this.

Mahmood Al Zarooni could easily follow up in the very next race at 15:05 with Naqshabban looking to hold sound claims of supplementing his win at the Carnival last year. That was his only start in 2012 and his first for the yard, the former Luca Cumani-inmate looking a horse to follow that day when comfortably getting the better of Jedi. Obviously things haven't run smoothly in the interim but his record fresh is excellent, a winner first-time out in each of his three seasons, and whilst he has his potential quirks (has refused to enter stalls) and a slight drop in trip to overcome, he is easily the most interesting horse in a race lacking depth.

I could easily have made it a Godolphin treble by going for Anatolian in the last but instead I will look for something at a bigger price and Lui Rei could fit the bill in the hugely competitive sprint handicap at 16:15. He was having his first start for the respected Fawzi Nass-yard last week and ran a sound enough race in finishing fourth behind Fityaan, not looking totally at home dropped to the minimum trip and all things being equal doing well to run on into the frame. On the face of it the handicapper has him where he wants him but there is hope for a little bit of improvement for this yard, remembering Krypton Factor last year, and hopefully he should reward the place side of the bet at the very least.

Timeform Dubai SmartPlays
Back Mariner's Cross in the 14:30
Back Naqshabban in the 15:05
Back Lui Rei win and place in the 16:15

3 top-rated winners at Meydan last week. Download Thursday's Race Card at timeform.com