Angus McNae's tips for Meydan: Don't over-think it with Franz Kafka

Angus McNae's tips for Meydan: Don't over-think it with Franz Kafka

By Angus McNae
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
There were some very fast times at Meydan last week. The turf was riding like a trampoline, really allowing horses to stretch and use themselves properly. The natural rainfall that had fallen soaked the track but as it dried it reached a point where it became very receptive to a galloping racehorse with no jar whatsoever.
The dirt was also very fast with Bochart posting a sensational time over six furlongs. The rain had clearly tightened the track up, and the rail seemed to be speed-favouring. He did get the perfect scenario, able to run even fractions whilst controlling the race, but even so the slick conditions played a part in his very fast time.
This week I don’t expect the turf to be so conducive to lightening fast times as it will have tightened up a bit. The dirt, however may still be very slick. Four selections this week.
This is a re-match between Final Song, Rio Angie and Down on Da Bayou. They took each other on in the 1000 Guineas trial with Final Song winning a shade comfortably from Down on Da Bayou with Rio Angie in third.
I felt this was an honest result that provided a decent speed figure for fillies at the time of the year and I see no reason for the form to be turned around.
There is a suspicion that Rio Angie needed the run and will be sharper here. She is certainly a strong-travelling, proper dirt horse but I’m not sure she’s as good as Final Song who was encountering dirt for the first time in the trial and is entitled to improve.
I like this horse switching from dirt to turf and dropping back to the minimum trip. In the UAE he has some fairly strong dirt form. He’s finished in front of last weeks easy winner Bochart and beaten Pop the hood, a facile winner on Saturday at Meydan.
The return to turf here could really suit him and his turf form when sprinting in the UK for John Gosden was strong - he can boast a defeat of Kachy amongst several really good efforts. This will be a strongly-run race, which should suit him, and he can be yet another winner for Doug Watson.
Charlie Appleby was going to run the recent handicap good thing Zakouski here but instead relies upon Mythical Magic, Mubtasim and Glorious Journey. My preference is for Mythical Magic who was second in this last year before running out an an impressive winner of the Zabeel Mile.
Mythical Magic wins the 2019 Zabeel Mile
He is probably a bit better at that mile trip, but in a race that is not hot for the grade he can outclass the opposition here. I would not be surprised if William Buick decided to make the running and an easy lead could be fatal to the chances of the others here. He looks sure to go close.
This horse was really impressive, posting a good speed figure in a domestic turf handicap at Meydan recently, one of the best figures produced so far during the UAE season, including the Carnival races. He must be supported here despite the switch to dirt.
He’s a front-runner, which should help him to avoid kickback and he’s by Dubawi which also gives him a decent chance of handling the surface. Harry Bentley rides and he just needs to avoid the trap of actually trying to ride a race - turf thinking will not cut it here on this surface! If he’s positive and sends this horse to the front, he will take plenty of catching.
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