Meydan Friday preview: get the inside track from connections

Five trainers will try to break Charlie Appleby’s stranglehold on Friday’s G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan Racecourse - a race he has dominated with nine wins so far.

The 2000metre turf contest, race six, celebrates the achievements of 2000 Dubai World Cup winner Dubai Millennium. It has been won by some stars over the years, including subsequent G1 winners Zarak and Ghaiyyath.

Appleby saddles two this time; Dubai Racing Club Classic winner By The Book, the mount of William Buick, and Arabian Light, ridden by Billy Loughnane, who won the Zabeel Turf last time out.

“By The Book and Arabian Light go into this in great order,” the trainer said. “It is the first time in Group company for both horses, but they bring nice profiles into the race and have won around Meydan. I would be disappointed if they are not players at this level.”

Taking on the Appleby pair is Crystal Black, who will be a first UAE runner for Irish trainer Gerard Keane. The seven-year-old enjoyed an excellent 2024, winning the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as the G3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown.

Another interesting contender is Chibitty, who has joined British trainer David Simcock from Mikel Delzangles in France.

“We’ve only had him since November but he’s proved very straightforward and the more we’ve had him, the better he’s trained,” he said. “He’s settled into Dubai very well. The only thing we don’t know is fast ground as all his form in France is on a softer surface. If he handles fast ground he should run really well.

“It’s a good opportunity, a little bit of a watching brief, but we’ll find out plenty on Friday.”

The Listed Dubai Sprint [sponsored by DP World], over 1200metres, is a fascinating contest with a field of 15. G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Dark Saffron runs on turf for the first time since finishing fifth to the reopposing West Acre in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint in March.

“We decided to get him back on the turf as he didn’t want to try after the stalls incident in his second race, this season,” said trainer Ahmad bin Harmash. “We will remove the visor as we want him to travel behind the leaders and get his confidence back and finish his race.”

Among Dark Saffron’s rivals is dual Carnival winner Symbol Of Honour, who makes his 2026 debut here, with trainer Appleby giving a positive update:

“Symbol Of Honour is coming back off a nice break, having proved pretty consistent throughout his three-year-old career,” he said. “We know he likes the course, although there will be some improvement to come on whatever he does here.”

A new shooter into the line-up is Rebel’s Gamble, a Listed winner in the UK for Karl Burke.  The four-year-old is now in the care of Swedish trainer Oscar Berneklint and will be ridden by Champion Jockey Silvestre de Sousa.

“We’re really happy with him and it looks a good race,” said the trainer. “I think a furlong up in trip [1400metres] would suit him best, but it’s a good place for him to start.

“He looks smashing in the mornings and we couldn’t be happier with him. Silvestre will do a good job on him - he’s watched his previous races and is happy to have the ride, so we’re hopeful of a nice run.”

Berneklint goes up against his father, Fredrik Reuterskiold, who saddles Lamborghini BF, a seven-time winner.

“He’s been a nice horse all along,” said the trainer. “I think there’s still some improvement in him. He won the biggest sprint in Sweden last year, the Bro Park Sprint, and he’s only five, which is still young for a sprinter.”

There is an international look to the Mawj Stakes [sponsored by DP World], race three, with Spanish raider Gelinotte taking on rivals from Sweden, Denmark, Czechia, the UK, France and UAE. The daughter of Nando Parrado is three from five career and carries the high hopes of her team.

“She has settled in very well in Dubai,” said trainer Efrain Arguinzones: "[Vaclav, jockey] Janácek worked her and told me he felt like he had plenty of horse under him. This is her prep race for the Jumeirah 1000 Guineas, which is her main target for the Carnival."

Janácek added: "I rode her the other day and she gave me a better feel than when I worked her in Madrid before the Auction Grand Prix. She seemed sharper and more switched on and felt much more strength in her. This race is to test her class. She’s not quite at 100 per cent yet, as the main target is the 1000 Guineas."

Gelinotte’s 14 rivals include Godolphin’s Dance To The Music, taking a big drop in grade from G1 company, and Miss Yechance, who beat the colts last time out over 1000metres.

“She’s becoming a stable favourite, because of her size, but she doesn’t know she’s small,” said Julio Olascoaga, who trains the three-year-old in partnership with Antonio Cintra. “She has a lot of speed and she doesn’t like to lose.

“This is a big task for her, to see if she can stay seven furlongs [1400metres] but everything suggests that she will.”

11 run in the opening Jumeirah Guineas Trial [sponsored by DP World], including Title Role, Treanmor and Zumbezi, third, fourth and fifth behind Northern Champion in the Jumeirah Stakes on 2 January.

“Title Role ran a really nice race earlier this month,” said Ed Crisford, who trains the colt alongside father Simon. “He’s stepping up in trip for the first time in his life. He’s done really well since the race and physically we’re really pleased with him – he’s training super well.

“That was just the third race of his life and he’s definitely going to be improving. He’s a really nice horse with a good mind and is hopefully going places.”

The card’s dirt contests also carry plenty of intrigue and Karl Burke’s Antrim will try to make it two from two on the surface in the JAFZA Handicap, race two. The four-year-old was a winner over 2000metres further than this two weeks ago and has leading credentials again.

“He was bought by the owners specifically to come here and run on the dirt and it was a good choice,” said Burke. “He’s done a good piece of work since and I’m very happy with him.

“If he performs well on Friday we could look at the [G2] Maktoum Classic four weeks later.”

Antrim’s 15 opponents include Valdivia, second to him last time, and Ocean Viking, a winner here on turf three weeks ago.

Another British raider aiming to make it two in a row on the dirt is Force And Valour, who teams up with Billy Loughnane again in the DP World Logistics Handicap, race seven, over 1600metres.

“Force And Valour has just been a joy this year,” said trainer George Scott. “He’s thriving on the dirt and has run two very gallant races. He steps up in grade again slightly and we’re just hoping he shows the same form again – he’s on a nice upward trajectory.”

The capacity field of 16 includes Laasudood, second to Force And Valour last time, and G3 winner Sound Money.

The eight-race card gets underway at 5:30pm and tickets can be purchased online at dubairacingclub.com