From our friends at the ERA...
Form Analysis - Maktoum Challenge R3 on Thursday
GLORIA DE CAMPEAO (BRZ) 2003 b h Impression – Audacity (Clackson) 11 starts (5-2-2) Sent to France after showing very good form in Brazil in the best of company. Had one run in France at end of last year when sixth in very strong Group 2 at Longchamp. Showed he was just as comfortable on the Nad Al Sheba dirt when coming second to Happy Boy in Round 1, and filled the same spot behind Jalil last time. Could have place claims again
SINGING POET (IRE) 2001 b g Singspiel – Bright Finish (Zilzal) 7 starts 3-1-1 Very fragile and lightly-raced gelding, who was third in Round 2 before running second in this race 12 months ago. Has not run since finishing 11th in the Godolphin Mile. Has clearly had problems and is sure to need this run given his long lay-off, but is highly-regarded by his trainer and might not be too far away.
LUCKY FIND (SAF) 2003 ch g Rich Man’s Gold – Little Erna (Ernani) 11 starts 6-4-0 Quality South African performer whose final run there was second in the Group 1 Daily News. On first run in Dubai and first on the dirt he could not have been more impressive recording an easy victory over Third Set (who has since franked the form) over this distance. Put in another cracking performance to easily see off Kandidate in Round 2, and appears a horse of the highest order. Will be hard to beat.
DYNAMIC SAINT (USA) b h 2003 Sweetsouthernsaint – Le Nat (Dynaformer) 12 starts 4-2-2 Highly-regarded by his trainer, and a winner at last year’s Carnival. Has raced five times this season without success, but has finished second and third in his last two outings at the Carnival. He was eight and a quarter lengths behind Jalil on his latest effort, and hard to see how he can reverse the form.
L’AMICO STEVE (BRZ) 2003 b h Spend A Buck – All For Love (Ghadeer) 18 starts 7-3-1 Was a top-class performer in Brazil, where he was a multiple Group 1 winner, but has shown nothing on his two starts in the UAE, finishing 12th and eighth behind Mourilyan. Tries the dirt now, but looks to have little chance on what he’s shown here so far.
MUTASALLIL (USA) 2000 b/br h Gone West – Min Alhawa (Riverman) 25 starts 6-4-3 Looked out of sorts at the beginning of the season, but a decent third at the Carnival preceded a win last time out. Was able to dictate at a steady pace that day under a fine ride and end a losing run stretching back to November 2006. Unlikely to have things fall so kindly today, especially with the front-running Kandidate in the field.
ALEUTIAN (GB) 2000 gr g Zafonic – Baked Alaska (Green Desert) 20 starts 3-2-3 Aleutian shaped well when a three-length third to the improving Jalil over 1600m round here on his return from almost a year off the track a month ago. He stayed on from off the pace to take second last time out, but the winner Mutasallil, having led at a steady pace, was not stopping. Consistent and was third in this last year, but may lack a touch of class
KANDIDATE (GB) 2002 b h Kabool – Valleyrose (Royal Academy) 42 starts 8-2-6 Scored surprise all-the-way win in Round 2 last year before his sixth in Dubai World Cup. Failed to win in six starts since then in England, Singapore and Japan, before running second to Lucky Find in Round 2 back here last month. He goes very well fresh, so he is no sure thing to build on this but has always shown best form in Dubai and must be respected.
ROHAANI ch h High Yield – Strawberry’s Charm (Stawberry Farm) 13 starts 4-1-1 2002 Injury-prone and lightly-raced, who was making his first start for a year, when sixth to the exciting Mourilyan last month over 2400m on turf. Will be having only his fourth run at Nad Al Sheba and his first on the dirt here. Will presumably come on for that run, but looks up against it in this class.
JAILIL (USA) 2004 b/br c Storm Cat – Tranquility Lake (Rahy) 6 starts 3-2-0 Won one of the stronger handicaps to be run on dirt at this year’s carnival last time out on what was only his sixth start. The US$9.7m yearling purchase has shown himself to be well suited to the dirt surface, having made it two from two now at Nad Al Sheba. He put in a most convincing display off a 9lb higher mark last time, and is clearly progressing. Has deserved this chance in higher company. Interesting contender.
DELUDE (IRE) 1998 ch g Be My Guest – Deceive (Machiavellian) 59 starts 9-8-7 Already had seven starts this season, including sixth in Round 2, before his fourth to Jalil here. Has since posted a disappointing sixth at Jebel Ali, and is out of his depth here.
IGOR PROTTI (GB) 2002 b h Opening Verse – La Busona (Broken Hearted) 15 starts 5-2-1 Fomerly raced in Italy, he made a really likeable winning debut here in January, before finishing third to Mutasallil off an 8lb higher mark. Slowly-run race was not run to suit on his last start, and was forced six wide round the final bend. Things obviously didn’t go his way, but is making a big leap back into Group 2 company here.
LATENCY (ARG) 2001 Slew Gin Fizz – Latencia (El Asesor) 22 starts 10-5-1 Considered one of Argentina’s great thoroughbreds of recent times, and runs here following an extraordinary three-length victory in South America’s prestigious Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini in December. That marked his seventh Group 1 win and 10th overall in 22 career starts. Three of his Group 1 scores have come on the dirt, with one of his top victories coming at today’s distance of 2000 metres. Could be Lucky Find’s biggest danger
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