Todays US$1.05 million Dubai World Cup Carnival card, is spotlighted by the Gr. 2 $250,000 Cape Verdi, features a wide-open global field, Ireland’s Gr. 3-winning mare Surrounding (105), who hails from the yard of 2014 Dubai Gold Cup-winning conditioner Mick Halford. 

 

Charlie Appleby trained, Gr. 2 winner Beyond Reason and blue-blooded yard-mate Magic Lily, who has been on the comeback trail since a 721-day break that took her from a G1-placed juvenile to a 5-year-old mare with only four starts. A daughter of dual Oaks winner Dancing Rain, she makes her third start since making her comeback and will have James Doyle in the irons.

 

Saeed bin Suroor saddles Dubai Blue, who was last seen winning a Lingfield handicap over fellow Cape Verdi runner Hateya, who represents Great Britain in the race. 

 

Jim Boyle-trained Hateya is one of two UK representatives, along with Simon Crisford-conditioned Maamora. While Hateya is a hard-knocking handicap mare who airs on consistency, Maamora is a lightly raced 4yo who still could be a bit unexposed from a talent perspective. Last out, Maamora bested Hateya by a half-length when they were second and third in the Lanwades Stud Stakes (Listed) at Bro Park in Sweden. 

 

The octet is competed by France’s Nisreen and Turkey’s Peri Lina. Nisreen carries the silks of Team Valor International for trainer Hiroo Shimizu, who took over for retired John Hammond. The 6-year-old mare has four wins from seven starts and steps up markedly from a pair of conditions victories. Peri Lina is a four-time G1 winner and national hero in her native country, but was fifth in this race last year astern Poetic Charm and must improve when she breaks from post four under Selim Kaya.

 

The inaugural US$175,000 Zabeel Turf (L) is headlined by Gr.1 Jebel Hatta winner Dream Castle serving as the likely favourite. The son of Frankel looks to return to form for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor after four consecutive off-the-board finishes in top company. 

 

A full field of 16 will get ready to rock the boat in the Aliyah Handicap topped by Gr.1 winners Suedois and Royal Marine. 

 

Royal Ascot winner Settle for Bay, from the David Marnane yard of Ireland, is more than capable of mixing it up with the top lot on his best day, but must return to the form that saw him land the Royal Hunt Cup of 2018. Pat Dobbs picks up the mount with a good post of seven. 

 

Dirt milers from around the world with Godolphin Mile aspirations line up over 1600m for the Mina Handicap topped by the Doug Watson pair of Midnight Sands, a highly regarded type stretching out in trip, and Thegreatcollection, who was scratched from the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 last week. The latter must tote top weight of 60kgs while taking on the likes of 2018 Al Bastakiya (Listed) winner Yulong Warrior, South Korea’s well-regarded duo of Today and Baengmunbaekdap, Swedish pair Red Hot Chili and Plata O Plomo and UK invaders Ambassadorial and Assimilation.

 

American form will be on display with Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ Captain Von Trapp, who makes his UAE bow for Salem bin Ghadayer. He was previously trained by Steve Asmussen, for whom he finished fourth in the Gr.3 Pat Day Mile behind Mr Money and sixth in the Gr.2 Rebel Stakes astern Omaha Beach.

 

Nine Below Zero tops the ratings and runs for the third time in as many weeks for trainer Fawzi Nass in the Al Furjan Handicap.

 

US$135,000 Riviera 2 Handicap features a full field of 16, headlined by Riflescope who appears the horse to beat. He adores this track and trip and has drawn well (10), but in-form Almanaara made a statement two weeks ago for HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Red Stables that a switch of the surface was just what he needed. Saeed bin Suroor-trained pair of Yattwee and Moment of Silence must be respected as serious players, with Christophe Soumillon choosing the former. UK sprinters Dream Today and Summerghand, Sweden’s Es Raco and Spain’s Blueberry all back up on short rest hoping to improve in this spot.