Dubai Carnival: Angus McNae's best bets for week five

Hot Rod Charlie was a short-priced winner here on the Dubai blog last week. In winning he thrust himself firmly into the World Cup picture and, if Life is Good fails to turn up, he will most likely go off favourite for the big race in March.

I have five selections this week on an excellent seven-race card with the UAE 2000 Guineas, Singspiel Stakes and Curlin Stakes taking centre stage.

3.10 Meydan: Bendoog

Bendoog rates a solid play here.

A pacey front-runner drawn in stall 1 on the dirt here is usually a potent weapon and Bendoog should be able to take full advantage given the pace he showed on debut.

He won his maiden here in mid-January and that form is working out well. The third Withering won the Al Bastikiya trial in good style last week and Bendoog thrashed him by more than 10 lengths.

By Gun Runner out of a Mineshaft mare, he is bred to be useful on dirt and has to be supported despite this step-up in class to back up that impressive debut win.

3.45 Meydan: Modern News

While he looks to be the Charlie Appleby second-string behind useful course winner D'Bai, he promises to get a much better trip and subsequently gets the nod under James Doyle.

Modern News is a very strong traveller and stall 1 will help him adopt the perfect stalking trip, whereas D'Bai needs to overcome stall 11 after a below-par run when last seen at Newmarket.

Modern News arrives here on the back of three smooth victories and all in decent company in the UK. There is no doubt he is ready for this crack at Listed level and he looks the right play in a fiercely competitive race.

4.20 Meydan: Salute the Soldier

He should strip fitter now and return to the form that saw him take Round Three of the Al Maktoum Challenge this time last year. That run would be good enough to win this.

Salute The Soldier should improve from his fifth to Golden Goal here last month, his first run for 10 months. Jockey Adrie De Vries was not hard on him once victory was not possible, while the rail on the dirt course was very good that day and Salute The Soldier was forced to race wide in the home straight which didn’t help his cause.

Dubai Icon and Rebels Romance provide tough opposition, but the consistent Salute the Soldier can prevail.

4.55 Meydan: Lord Glitters

I will take a chance that this classy grey can get the set-up he requires and land another big prize.

The key to Lord Glitters is a decent gallop from which he can close off strongly from the back of the field. When he gets the right scenario he is bordering on Group One class and, with plenty of pace signed on here, he could get exactly what he wants.

Lord Glitters renews rivalry with Zakouski here and he beat him in this race last year, but the Godolphin horse turned the tables in the Al Rashadiya where the pace scenario was all against Lord Glitters.

A wide draw is of little concern given his hold-up style and jockey Danny Tudhope gets a great tune out of him. He looks sure to run a big race.

5.30 Meydan: Canvassed

I like Canvassed to overhaul the pacesetters on the run for home.

He is a classy sprinter, winning the Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday last season and then an excellent third in the Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night.

Canvassed was a little underwhelming on his reappearance behind Al Tariq in the Dubawi Stakes, but it's entirely possible that he needed the run and will come on a lot for that effort.

There is a lot of pace here courtesy of the wide-drawn Al Tariq, Meraas and Bet Law and that should be perfect for Canvassed who likes to stalk the pace. Jockey Andrea Atzeni has not enjoyed the best of luck on the dirt at Meydan so far, but this is a chance to put his recent experience of the surface to good use.