Horse Racing
Season
Zabeel Mile - Form Comments

21/02/2018 16:42

G2 – 1600m – Turf

1 GM Hopkins A high class handicapper over this distance in the UK when trained by the brilliant John Gosden, GM Hopkins now has his first start at Meydan. Tends to be delivered late as he was when nearly landing a valuable handicap over the straight 1600m at Ascot on his final UK start last October.
2 Treasury Notes A five-times winner in the UK and very effective at this 1600m distance. After almost a year off he made his Meydan debut in a 12-runner 1600m handicap last week. Slow from the gates and settled at the back but he did make encouraging progress in the straight to finish second.
3 Noah From Goa Twice beaten by today’s rival Championship – including second in this event – here last year though his trainer says an injury kept him from showing his true potential in 2017. Mixed messages from his two Meydan 2018 runs, the first being better than the second. Tends to challenge from mid-field.
4 Janoobi One of South Africa’s best three-year-olds last season, he is strong and keen and likes to lead. Those tactics almost saw him land a shock win in a 1400m G2 here earlier this month when he finished three places ahead of his better fancied stablemate Noah From Goa. No worries at this extra distance.
5 Hornsby Came with a strong run up the fence from way off the pace to comfortably win a 1400m handicap here in January. He has run respectably on all three starts since, but the Meydan competition is stiffer now, and his chances here do not look obvious.
6 Bay Of Poets Only beaten 3 lengths when seventh in the G1 French Derby over 2100m at Chantilly last June, though he has proved difficult to win with. He made a threatening move in an 1800m G2 here earlier in the month before running out of gas. Usually challenges late.
7 Another Touch Versatile groundwise and very effective at this distance, he ran a respectable fifth of 12 in a handicap over this trip on his second Meydan start last week. However improvement is required if he’s going to figure seriously here.
8 Dream Castle Not one of the best sons of the mighty Frankel so far but he did show plenty of zip when a close third in a G2 over 1400m here early this month, always close to the speed that day. His trainer is enjoying another very successful Meydan Carnival.
9 Whisky Baron A winning spree in South Africa culminated in success in one of their major races, a G1 over 2000m at Kenilworth in January 2017 after which Hong Kong ambitions were mentioned. However he didn’t figure in a G2 at Newmarket in the UK last September and interesting to see if he can get back on track here.
10 Championship Delivered with a powerful challenge to win this last year, with Noah From Goa 2 ¾ lengths back in second. On his return early this month he ran poorly in a 1400m G2 that he had won the previous year. However he never looked comfortable there, and excuses look to be valid.