G2 – 1900m – Dirt
| 1 | Walking Thunder | Fast away he defied a wide gate to keep his unbeaten record intact when easily winning a good conditions’ race here in January. However he couldn’t back that up when disappointingly beaten into second in a 1600m G3 here in February. His trainer thinks this longer trip might suit. |
| 2 | Jahbath | Narrowly beaten on his debut – on turf – but has won all his four subsequent starts on all-weather surfaces in the UK. Most recently he accelerated far too well for his rivals over 1600m at Kempton this month. This has been the plan for some time and pedigree is positive for this jump to 1900m. |
| 3 | Golden Jaguar | From the widest gate he had to cover more ground than all of his rivals, still managing to win over 1400m on his second career start – having also won first time out. Also had to challenge wide last time as well as pulling too hard after a slow start – given that, his close second in a Listed event was a very good effort. |
| 4 | Plus Que Parfait | This US raider surged from off the speed to almost win a 1700m G2 on the dirt at Churchill Downs last November, on his fourth career start. However he did disappoint in another G2 on his latest US start. Difficult to predict what might happen on this Meydan debut. |
| 5 | Derma Louvre | Ratings certainly give this Christophe Lemaire-ridden Japanese dirt performer a live chance. Although a beaten favourite when third in a 1600m Listed race in Tokyo last time he has a progressive and consistent profile, earlier gaining three straight wins in Japan. Has tended to race prominently. |
| 6 | Divine Image | Quirky and can be tricky at the gate but has won three of her four starts and her latest effort – a Listed event over this distance – was comfortably her best, again proving strong at the finish and thrashing 13 rivals. A big player – and William Buick who couldn’t do the weight that last time – is back on board. |
| 7 | Superior | Bred for speed but he just about lasts this distance. Ridden prominently in a Listed event here this month, he led 700m out and kept on but had no answers when today’s rival Divine Image swept past. Hard to see him reversing that form. |
| 8 | Gray Magician | A runaway 9.5L winner of a 1600m maiden at Del Mar last November and earlier this year he ran a close fourth in a G3 on Santa Anita’s dirt surface. Now he’ll need to prove himself up across the world and up in distance on the Meydan dirt surface. |
| 9 | Razeena | Well-regarded by her trainer Doug Watson and, though she looked nothing special on her first two starts, she ran much better in a G3 over this distance last month, coping with a wide trip and finishing third to Divine Image. More improvement very possible. |
| 10 | Al Hayette | Has been busy here – racing six times since November including two wins in minor events over 1400m and 1600m. However she has finished well behind today’s rival Divine Image on her last two starts and that will probably be the case again. |
| 11 | Van Beethoven | He won a 1200m G2 at The Curragh last June, without progressing from that subsequently. On his first start for 172 days he ran a respectable fourth in a 1600m Listed race at Dundalk this month. Maybe the Meydan dirt will suit. |
| 12 | Stubbins | Has progressed on turf and dirt in the US, and showed a ton of early speed to win a 1600m conditions race on the dirt at Santa Anita early this month – persuading his connections that this big prize was a realistic option. |
| 13 | Swift Rose | Undistinguished on her first two Meydan efforts but she then nearly produced a big shock – up to this distance and into G3 company. Grabbing an early lead from her low gate, she was kicked into a clear advantage 500m from the end only to be narrowly grabbed by Divine Image late on. |
| 14 | Manguzi | Showed little on turf in the UK, but much more effective on dirt in the UAE, winning two of his four starts including a victory over this distance in January – very quick from the gate then. Did well from a wide gate last time, but even wider here – quite a problem for his jockey. |
