Meydan Racecourse is set to host a sterling renewal of the Dubai World Cup Carnival with Godolphin’s multiple Gr. 1 winner Thunder Snow, out to shine in the Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, which serves as an early pointer to the Godolphin Mile (G2) on World Cup night. Thunder Snow definitely has the class to be competitive. The son of Helmet was last seen on the track winning the Gr.2 UAE Derby Cup (2017).The Saeed bin Suroor trainee has put in a solid season back on the European turf and should be ready to steal the season on his home turf.

 

Doug Watson-trained Cosmo Charlie was no match for Thunder Snow last Carnival, where he scored his marquee win in his absence in the Al Bastakiya. It would be interesting to watch him against class horses such as Thunder Snow and Heavy Metal.

 

The Exceed And Excelgelding landed an eighth in the Godolphin Mile (2017) after crushing Super Saturday’s Gr.3 BurjNahaar (2017) resurfaced in the Dubai Creek Mile (2017), winning by 4 1/2 front-running lengths from Wild Dude.

 

Heavy Metal is expected to be joined by high-profile stablemate, Long River. He caused an upset in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 last year but did come up to expectations on World Cup night.

 

The SatishSeemar-trained North America began his career with four straight wins topped by the Gr.3 Firebreak (2017). But it seems the too-much-too-soon pace, tired out the Dubawi gelding, whofinaly placed 10th in the Godolphin Mile (2017). A solid favourite at Meydan, in good form, should see him place in the top three easily.

 

Half-brother to Thunder Snow, Taamol is seen in fine form. He is set debut in the $250,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1. The ShHamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum owned bay gelding won the King Charles II Stakes last May.

 

Also in the mix are Bin Suroor’s Confrontation, the 2016 Firebreak winner and the Al Marri owned gelding, Fitzgerald who placed 6th in the recent Garhoud Sprint (2017).

 

Also on the Thursday opener is the newly upgraded Singspiel, now a Group 3, at about 1 1/8 miles on turf. Godolphin has a grand total of six in the line-up, with bin Suroor’sBenbatl and Appleby’s Emotionless the principals. Benbatl, one of last season’s highly tried sophomores, scored his signature win in the Hampton Court (G3) at Royal Ascot.The five year old Emotionless placed third in the Gr.2 Dubai City of Gold (2017) but hasn’t raced since. Goldophin’s other runner Bay of Poets is one of those with more talent than he’s put together so far on the racecourse.

 

Thursday’s card includes the Purebred Arabian edition of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, with brilliant E Lemartinel-trained RB Torch, Darius Du Paonalso owned by H HSh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyanand AF Marrahtrained by Oertellooming large.

 

Sr. No	Official Rating	Horse	Country	Pedigree	Owner	Trainer	Weight	Age	Race Form
1	18	THUNDER SNOW	IRE	HELMET (AUS) - Eastern Joy (GB) by DUBAI DESTINATION (USA)	Godolphin	S bin Suroor	57	4	"15, 3,1"
2	114	LONG RIVER	USA	A P Indy (USA) - Round Pond (USA) by Awesome Again (CAN)	Sh Hamdan bin Mohd Al Maktoum	S bin Ghadayer	57	8	"11, 1, 8"
3	113	HEAVY METAL	GB	Exceed And Excel (AUS) - ROCK OPERA (SAF) by Lecture (USA)	Sh Hamdan bin Mohd Al Maktoum	S bin Ghadayer	57	8	"1, 8, 1"
4	113	NORTH AMERICA	GB	DUBAWI (IRE) - Northern Mischief (USA) by Yankee Victor (USA)	Ramzan Kadyrov	S Seemar	57	6	"10, 1,1"
5	108	COSMO CHARLIE	USA	Stay Thirsty (USA) - Lake Como (USA) by Salt Lake (USA)	Ramzan Kadyrov	D Watson	57	4	"4, 1, 13"
7	108	FITZGERALD	USA	Elusive Quality (USA) - Filarmonia (ARG) by Slew Gin Fizz (USA)	Buti Bintooq Almarri	A bin Harmash	57	6	"6, 4, 6"
8	108	CONFRONTATION	USA	War Pass (USA) - Successfully Sweet (USA) by Successful Appeal (USA)	Godolphin	S bin Suroor	57	8	"8, 6, 1"
13	101	TAAMOL	IRE	HELMET (AUS) - Supreme Seductress (IRE) by Montjeu (IRE)	Sh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum	A Al Rayhi	57	4	"7, 14, 1"

 

1) Heavy Metal 2) Thunder Snow 3) Fitzgerald