Laura King selects her Dubai World Cup Carnival ten to follow

Watch the first instalment from Laura King, our Luck On Sunday Dubai correspondent, and read her Dubai World Cup Carnival ten to follow to put in your tracker for when the action starts at Meydan on Thursday.

International runners might be down significantly on numbers for the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival, which starts on Thursday but the Godolphin contingent and the locally-based trainers will be strong, so there is still plenty of choice.

I have done my best to whittle it down to just ten.

Thunder Snow (Saeed bin Suroor):

Having won the Emirates Dubai World Cup a record seven times, Saeed bin Suroor knows what a genuine contender for the race looks like and Thunder Snow appears to be his number one this time around.

The four-year-old son of Helmet, who won the Group One Prix Jean Prat in France and the UAE Dubai here last season, takes the next step along that road when lining up in Group Two Al Maktoum Challenge Round One on Thursday. He looked in good shape when paddock schooling at Meydan two weeks ago.

Winter Lightning (Saeed bin Suroor):

Keeping it in the family. Thunder Snow’s three-year-old Shamardal half-sister Winter Lightning is also in town, and is likely to take in the fillies’ Classic series.

Second, from a wide draw, in a good maiden at Newmarket in October, she is a huge filly and should progress with age.

Benbatl (Saeed bin Suroor):

Saeed bin Suroor means business at the Carnival this time and Benbatl has the profile of one who can do very well at Meydan. Winner of the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, his fifth behind Enable in the King George does not make bad reading, either.

Rested since September, he looks the perfect type for Carnival turf Group races, with the Group Two City of Gold on Super Saturday an obvious target.

Ertijaal (Ali Rashid Al Rayhi):

A yard representative recently said that flying machine Ertijaal is “getting faster”, which, if the case, is worrying for those up against him.

The seven-year-old has finished second and third in the past two Group One Al Quoz Sprints and is four from five over Meydan’s five furlong turf course, on which he will reappear in a handicap on Thursday.

Rayya (Doug Watson):

The fillies’ Classic division usually lacks depth, but Rayya looks the best of the local bunch. A $US190,000 (£140,000) purchase at Ocala, she did not beat much when cruising to a nine and three-quarter length win in a fillies’ maiden, but displayed a pleasingly professional attitude.

She will resume in the UAE 1000 Guineas trial on January 18th, a race Doug Watson won with subsequent UAE Guineas and Oaks winner Polar River two seasons ago.

Cape Byron (Roger Varian):

Roger Varian has a good strike rate in Dubai and four-year-old Cape Byron forms part of a three-strong string for him this year.

The Shamardal colt is two from four, and can be excused his run on unsuitably soft ground in France last time. A mark of 102 should give his trainer plenty of options on turf.

Suyoof (Mike De Kock):

Mike De Kock has a much smaller Carnival team than in previous years, but there was a lot to like about the way Suyoof won a seven-furlong handicap last season.

The five-year-old should be a better horse now, having spent the summer in Dubai, and there could be more to come from him this time around.

Emotionless (Charlie Appleby):

He will probably never live up to the promise of his Champagne Stakes win, but Emotionless is nevertheless interesting for the Carnival.

Now gelded, he did show some promise on dirt last season, when second over the World Cup course and distance, and he was also third behind Prize Money and Postponed in the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold on turf.

Heavy Metal (Salem bin Ghadayer):

The Bin Ghadayer team are flying at the moment and it would be remiss to leave out the loveable veteran Heavy Metal, who looked as good as ever when romping home in a Listed race in December.

He defied a penalty on that occasion, but will not have one when lining up in the Maktoum Challenge Round One on Thursday.

Raven’s Corner (Satish Seemar):

The Raven’s Corner team had to regroup after the five-year-old was withdrawn at the stalls on his intended season debut in December.

However, he has been in fine form since then, and looked extremely exciting when winning two non-Carnival handicaps last season.

Now rated 100, the gelding, owned by Touch Gold Racing, will take on stablemate Reynaldothewizard in the Group Three Dubawi Stakes on January 18th.