Meydan tips: Angus McNae on week two of the Dubai Carnival

Week one was a nightmare from a punting point of view with all selections running poorly.

What was reassuring was the fact that, on the dirt track, pace on the rail looked to confer a big advantage and it will continue to do so throughout the Carnival.

The turf course looked to ride as well as always without the usual Godolphin dominance. I expect that to change this week.

2.35 Meydan: New Kingdom

I am always keen to follow lightly-raced progeny of Dubawi given they progress and I take this promising type to make big strides now he is in Dubai.

New Kingdom has a lovely pedigree and showed he learnt plenty from his debut fifth at Newmarket with a win at Haydock, where he benefited from stepping up to a mile.

He goes another furlong here and that will definitely suit, while he is well drawn in stall 2. He made all when he won last time and William Buick may adopt the same tactics from his good draw.

New Kingdom is the best bred horse in the race with a progressive profile and that makes him an attractive punting proposition.

3.10 Meydan: Albahr

I believe this is one of the best horses to have contested the UAE 2000 Guineas trial for a number of years.

A Grade One winner in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine on his final start of last season, Albahr won three races on the bounce in the UK prior to that including in Listed company at Salisbury.

The big question is whether he will handle the dirt surface? Given that he is by the multi-surface sire Dubawi out of a mare who was by the dirt sire Street Cry there is every chance that a dirt surface will be no problem and he could even improve for it. If he handles it he wins.

4.55 Meydan: Freedom Fighter

The Seemar team have farmed this race in the past, winning four of the last five renewals. I am taking a chance that this recruit from the Bob Baffert yard can continue their domination of this contest.

Freedom Fighter brings Graded stakes form from America and handles the dirt. He has only had four career starts and after a debut victory over five furlongs was stepped up to seven and eight furlongs. Now back to sprinting, he can take a big step forward and outline the skills of this team team with sprinters.

He is a sporting selection to upset some tough local sprinters in a good renewal of this race.

5.30 Meydan: Rebel's Romance

As with Albahr, once again I go to a Dubawi / Street Cry cross.

Unlike Albahr, we have a horse who is already proven on the dirt here at Meydan as Rebel's Romance won the UAE Derby last year. He now needs to step up meeting older horses for the first time, but he was dominant on World Cup night last year and he is unbeaten at Meydan so merits support here.

His only career defeat has come in Saudi Arabia where the track in Riyadh is completely different to Meydan. This is a track really suits Rebel's Romance and he is reasonably well-drawn in stall 5.

He can complete a stellar day for the Godolphin blue.