Four Key Horses to Follow at the Dubai Carnival

It’s hard not to experience a warm hit of nostalgia whenever Jamie Osborne has a good horse out in Dubai. 

It was, lest we forget, 11 years ago (yes, 11 years …) that Toast Of New York roasted ‘em in the UAE Derby before finishing a nose second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. 

And if that story does not stir the loins, even now, after all this time, then it’s perhaps time to look for a new pastime. 

Heart Of Honor’s journey is only just beginning, but he has looked the real deal since his transfer from Upper Lambourn to Dubai. 

Two nice wins in conditions stakes were achieved by a cumulative distance of seven lengths, while he was hardly disgraced when second in the UAE 2000 Guineas from an impossibly wide draw. 

Look out for Heart Of Honor in the Al Bastakiya on February 21. 

And then it will be hopefully on to the UAE Derby, in which he will bid to follow in the hoofprints of an estimable former resident of Old Malthouse Stables. 

Michael Costa is not yet a big noise upon the global racing stage, but there is a strong sense that could soon change. 

Having established a rock-solid alliance with Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, it feels only a matter of time before the driven Australia handler claims some seriously big races. 

For a long time this season, it had looked like Meshtri was the horse to take Costa to the next level. 

His defeat of subsequent Al Maktoum Challenge hero Walk In the Stars in the Dubai Creek was most impressive, after which he decisively followed up in the Group Two Al Maktoum Mile. 

But then, inexplicably, it all went wrong in the Firebreak Stakes. He never looked happy from the outset and was, frankly, stuffed out of sight. 

Connections were convinced something was amiss – and it was, visually, hard to disagree. 

If Costa can get to the bottom of what happened in the Firebreak, it would be profoundly dismissive to forget about Meshtri just yet. 

Great Scott has blitzed Bahrain. Now he’s up for mastering Meydan. 

Many have tried and failed at this unique, capricious circuit. 

But West Acre looked like he was having the time of his life in the Group Two Blue Point Stakes, in which he broke the track record. 

The manner in which jockey Calum Shepherd celebrated, and then waxed as lyrically as a candle in its dying embers, perhaps speaks volumes about the regard in which this one is held. 

He was genuinely outstanding in the Blue Point, having demonstrated a turn of foot that should mean the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night is cosily within his compass. 

The Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday is, however, likely to remain the next priority. 

He is very fast. He could be very spectacular. 

It seems sacrilege, and not to mention a bit lazy, to add the official joint-best racehorse on to any list like this.  

But his surprising defeat to King Gold in the Firebreak has once again, and perhaps deservedly, brought into question the continually erratic form of the Dubai World Cup. 

Trainer Bhupat Seemar was visibly unhappy by the way in which he suddenly folded on his comeback run – or was he perhaps more frustrated by Tadhg O’Shea, who did seem a touch keen to win by half the track? 

No matter, Seemar and O’Shea will get things right with this one-off specimen of a horse, who was the very essence of ‘needing the run’ in the Firebreak. 

Things might also not quite go to script in the Saudi Cup, but you should expect a completely different beast in the Dubai World Cup.