Dubai Carnival Contest II

[brockguy]

Day 7 - Desperately want to have a good day here:

Race 1 - Pointing North alt Stubbs Art
Race 2 - Wingbeat alt Honour Devil
Race 3 - Instant Recall alt Asset
Race 4 - Trust N Dustan alt Moonquake
Race 5 - Sugar Ray alt Eastern Anthem
Race 6 - Summit Surge alt Gladitorus
Race 7 - Leandros NAP NAP NAP alt Yamal
Race 8 - Sanbuch alt Classic Punch

[PatCummings]

NoChance...

Rocks Off was respected last week when coming back in the 2000 Guineas but repeated his lackluster form. I'm reading into him here...so follow me...

He had good form in South Africa, with that G1 on turf for juveniles...but was clearly well-respected by DeKock when he put him in the conditions race on DIRC Night 2 (the same race won previously for the same connections as Asiatic Boy and Honour Devil). My problem is this...if DeKock really liked him (as if he was the same horse he thought he had at the beginning of the Carnival), do you really think he'd bring him back in a lower-level turf race just a week later?

Now, the reverse logic is fair - third off the layoff, dirt to turf, weight break, vulnerable field. I understand it. In my newsletter on DubaiRaceNight.com, I said that I think everyone in the field has a chance save #6 Flying Blue - so to have Rocks Off pop a big one...entirely possible.

It's a gut instinct, but I think his reappearing here is now a "let's see if he's ok and maybe he'll get his groove back (like Stella) on the turf."

I don't want my money to be part of the experiment...so I'll watch this one.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

2nd) Pointing North #1 NAP (alt. 9)
3rd) Honour Devil #1 (alt. 6)
4th) Asset #1 (alt. 3)
5th) Team Victory #6 (alt. 1)
6th) Eastern Anthem #1 (alt. 2)
7th) Gladiatorurus #6 (alt. 5)
8th) Leandros #3 (alt. 4)
9th) Waldvogel #6 (alt. 10)

[jaripeo]

HERE I, VOY:

Pointing Nort (Alt Echoes Rock)

Honour Devil (Alt Jaffal)

Instan Recall (Alt Asset)

Bucintros (Alt Team Victory) Best Bet

New Guinea (Alt Crime Scene)

Gladiatorus (Alt Traffic Guard)

Banknote (Alt Yamal)

Sanbuch (Alt Young Mick)

[peetsa]

2) Stubbs Art

3) Honour Devil

4) Judd Street

5) Grand Hombre

6) Mr Brock NAP

7) Blue Ksar

8) Ragheed

9) Young Mick

[viscount26]

2. Pointing North Nap

3. Honour Devil

4. Asset

5. Irish Mayhem

6. Sugar Ray

7. Gladiatorus

8. Yamal

9. Captain Webb

[PatCummings]

I hope you guys subscribe to the DubaiRaceNight newsletter - free of course...but here is what I said about 23-1 winner Dijeerr...

Make no mistake about the fact that #1 HONOUR DEVIL is a deserving strong favorite. I don't think #6 TIZ NOW TIZ THEN can get close to Honour Devil under most circumstances but am holding out hope that #2 DIJEERR harnesses some magical turn of form to spring the upset or put a decent run in.

His dam, Sharp Minister (by Deputy Minister), was unplaced in two starts, but a year after foaling Dijeerr, she dropped a full brother named Plavius. In four lifetime starts on Dubai dirt, Plavius has two wins and a second before he finished last on February 6th at Nad Al Sheba. You'll notice that Plavius defeated #3 ESTIDHAAF by more than six lengths four starts back, and I think he has board-hitting possibilties today. A half-brother to Dijeerr, Sharp Writer, was second in the Golden Gate Derby (G3) in 2005 before winning some listed stakes races in 2006. Overall, his ability to make some running on the dirt is not out of the question given the breeding.

Apprentice jockey Antioco Murgia has the return call on Dijeerr and has compiled just nine rides in the Emirates since January 22nd. He managed his first local win last week at Jebel Ali for trainer Mubarak bin Shafya, winning by 7.75 lengths in a pace-tracking victory. Interestingly, he rode a son of Danzig that day and had a decent second at a price last week at the Carnival.

Those last two races for Dijeerr were indeed AWFUL, but I am certainly wondering if a change of scene could give him a chance to find himself near the front of the field. I expect the 8-1 morning line to drift up quite a bit as the gate break looms.

Now, granted, I still think Honour Devil was best in that race but Dijeerr offered quite a bit of value and did indeed drift to 23-1. He was only 11-1 on the UK pool.

[PatCummings]

Originally Posted by peetsa

2) Stubbs Art

3) Honour Devil

4) Judd Street

5) Grand Hombre

6) Mr Brock NAP

7) Blue Ksar

8) Ragheed

9) Young Mick

That should land you the spoils for tonight - good job!

[NoChanceToDance]

What a dreadful, dreadful day for me. Well done to those who had winners today.

Here goes another day......

Race 1 - Diana's Choice (alt Blue Sky Basin)
Race 2 - Dohasa (alt Bermuda Rye)
Race 3 - Fervent Prince (alt Tasteyville)
Race 4 - Fiery Lad (alt Bon Spiel)
Race 5 - Frosty Secret (alt Two Step Salsa)
Race 6 - Red Eye Express (NAP) (alt, Kings Gambit)
Race 7 - Black Emblem (alt, Deem) ....... very hard to pick between these two
Race 8 - Eddie Jock (alt, Wise Dennis)