G1 – 1200m – Dirt
| 1 | Mind Your Biscuits | Not inconvenienced by a wide gate in this last year, simply appearing to outclass his 13 rivals. Good efforts back home in the US since including a closing third to today’s rival Roy H in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1200m). Another big Meydan performance is anticipated. |
| 2 | X Y Jet | Favourite for this on the back of powerful winning Gulfstream Park performances in 2016, just getting the worst of a ferocious stretch battle with Muarrab. Injury problems since but he returned from a 13-month break to post an impressive front-running G3 victory at Gulfstream in December. |
| 3 | Reynaldothewizard | This local legend won this event way back in 2013 on the tapeta surface. He refuses to accept his ancient years and was the winner of a Listed event here last January. Two good efforts in G3’s have followed but it will be a big surprise if he’s fast enough to win this. |
| 4 | Wild Dude | Has some big-race wins – including at G1 level – when US-trained earlier in his career. However he has generally struggled at Meydan though he did finish strongly when third in the G3 trial for this event earlier this month. He lost a shoe in that race. |
| 5 | Matera Sky | Yutaka Take’s mount smoothly won a dirt handicap over this distance at Kyoto last month and could easily be on the upgrade. His rating suggests that he has a lot to find but he does come from a very shrewd stable. |
| 6 | Roy H | He’ll need to adapt to Meydan conditions but there can’t be many better dirt sprinters in the world right now than this long-striding guy who won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1200m) at Del Mar last November, always prominent before pouncing late to win brilliantly. Impressive again when landing a Santa Anita G2 last month. |
| 7 | Shillong | His five wins have all come at neighbouring Jebel Ali and, though he has run some decent enough races here at Meydan, they have been in much lesser company than this and he’ll surely struggle here. He tends to sit in midfield. |
| 8 | My Catch | Led for much of the way in this event last year, but, once headed, he faded. However he did successfully dominate a G3 here in February though was unable to lead from a wide gate in the main trial for this event and was never a player. Needs the front early. |
| 9 | Jordan Sport | Enjoying a terrific Carnival and most significantly when winning the G3 trial for this earlier in March. In that first attempt on dirt, he soon led and, after having a breather on the bend, quickened clear to win in a record-breaking time on this track. Can he repeat that huge run against hotter rivals? |
