Angus McNae: My top tips for Dubai World Cup night

The thrilling climax to the Dubai Carnival takes centre stage on Saturday with World Cup night from Meydan. Enjoy live coverage from 11am on Racing TV and dedicated coverage throughout via Racing TV Extra.

There is a fabulous card at Meydan on Saturday where the Dubai World Cup takes centre stage at the end of a top-class night of action.

There are some strong-looking favourites through the night and the best international challenge that we have seen for many years at this meeting.

I have seven selections for you and hopefully a few decent winners.

12.20 Meydan: Al Nefud

The dirt track tends to be more speed-favouring when races are run in the afternoon and with this being the first race on the card I am expecting a big run from this pacey, strong-travelling gelding.

Al Nefud has been a revelation since moving to the Seemar yard and the key to his turnaround in form has been the fact that his new yard identified that he is a speed horse who is best suited to racing around this one-turn mile at Meydan.

Al Nefud has taken to the dirt track particularly well and made all to win his first two starts here. He was beaten into second last time by Hot Rod Charlie in Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge but that was a big effort from a wide draw in stall 11 over a 9½-furlong trip that stretches his stamina.

He returns to eight furlongs here and, from a cracking draw in stall 1, figures to make all against the rail in this Godolphin Mile.

12.55 Meydan: Manobo

He is a potential superstar and although he will go off at restrictive odds he cannot be opposed.

Manobo was wildly impressive in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy when comfortably beating East Asia and he surged clear under minimal pressure to produce one of the most exciting performances of the Carnival.

He has plenty of speed and looks to be a cut above his rivals here. This Dubai Gold Cup is not as deep as it can be and it is hard to imagine that anything else here could win a Listed race by 10 lengths as Manobo did at Saint-Cloud last season.

A number of firms already make him the second favourite for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot which reflects the impression Manobo has made so far and stepping up to two miles should be no problem. His speed should prove way too much for his rivals.

1.35 Meydan: Casa Creed (each-way)

Man of Promise is a worthy favourite here, but he has never been the most consistent and there is a chance that he may recoil from his huge Super Saturday effort when he thrashed the useful A Case Of You by just under five lengths.

I prefer to get with Casa Creed win and place. His high draw on this straight sprint course is advantageous and his main rivals are drawn high too, so he looks to be in the right spot to employ his late-closing style. A likely strong pace will suit as he is an off-the-pace type who ran well off a three-and-a-half month lay-off in Saudi Arabia last time when running on strongly to be beaten a neck by Songline.

I can see Casa Creed coming home strongly to at least make the frame. If Man Of Promise runs below form, this is wide open.

2.45 Meydan: Dr. Schivel

The USA have dominated the Golden Shaheen with 13 wins in the last 20 renewals and Dr. Schivel looks likely to continue that trend.

He has only been beaten once over six furlongs and that was when narrowly denied in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and if he turns up in that Del Mar form he will be tough to beat, even from his berth in stall 9.

Dr. Schivel bombed in the Malibu Stakes over seven furlongs last time behind the brilliant Flightline, but he was found to have spiked a temperature after the race.

It looks like the international raiders will dominate here and I believe that Dr. Schivel brings the best form to the party.

3.20 Meydan: Lord North

Lord North won the Dubai Turf last year and I am supporting him to do it again at a generous-looking 5/1.

He was very impressive here 12 months ago - albeit in a slightly weaker renewal – while his seasonal debut at Lingfield has ducked under the radar given his timefigure was a career-best when second behind Alenqeur. The winner thrashed the track record. Given Lord North looked a bit rusty and was forced a bit wide on the home turn, we have a performance that should make everyone sit up and take notice.

He has clearly not been easy to train and is lightly-raced for his age, but we know that this superb surface suits him and his turn of foot could prove decisive in what is a tremendous renewal.

3.55 Meydan: Glory Vase

The Japanese raiders hold a strong hand in this hot, hot renewal of the Sheema Classic and Christophe Soumillon can land Group One honours with Glory Vase.

His win in the Hong Kong Vase last time was something to behold, running down Pyledriver as if that horse was standing still and merely being pushed out to win comfortably. Glory Vase was third to Loves Only You at Sha Tin last April and that horse was only a couple of necks behind Mishriff in this contest last year.

Meydan has been a happy hunting ground for Soumillon and I expect the rider to deliver Glory Vase late with his lightening turn of foot and land this fantastic renewal. At 9/1, I’m in.

4.30 Meydan: Life Is Good

The best horse in the world will strut his stuff in the Dubai World Cup and it is hard to envisage defeat. He is drawn in stall 1 and, as long as he jumps smartly out of the gates, promises to utilise his abundant speed and make all against the rail.

Life Is Good was hugely impressive when he beat Knicks Go in the Pegasus World Cup and his Breeders’ Cup Mile win was the best performance on a stellar card.

He has to go one furlong further than ever before and that is a concern given his sire Into Mischief tends to get fast horses rather than stayers, but I think Life Is Good can carry his speed which is often something that is overlooked in dirt racing. After all, six-furlong horses in the States regularly stretch out to a one-turn mile successfully. I think his speed will carry Life Is Good clear of his field and the advantage he could establish will be too much for the likes of Hot Rod Charlie to breach.

Trainer Todd Pletcher told me he is “super confident”. I will leave it at that.