Meydan (18th Feb 2010)

[TDM]

15.05

British contenders come from Matsunosuke, Judd Street, Rileyskeepingfaith and Prohibit

Matsunosuke was given no run last time here when finishing a disappointing tenth to So Shiny and would have to step up to reverse the form with Prohibit and Frosty Secret and i just felt he did not adapt to the tapeta surface.

Jud Street finished two and a quarter lengths infront of Matsunosuke in the above race when in receipt of 1lb in the weights and they meet on the same terms here.

Rileyskeepingfaith finished way back in eleventh to Sir Gerry and was also behind Frosty Secret and Prohibit that day and met the latter off level terms but was giving 2lb to Frosty Secret.He was beaten convincingly by both entries here and has to concede weight to both here.

Prohibit has improved since his debut run here and looks the likely one to snatch a place claim here. Finished fourth to So Shiny and had Sol De Angra back in fifth by a head when in receipt of 2lb.Gets an extra 1lb from the and should improve again under Jamie Spencer.

Mike De Kock and Doug Watson already winners at this years carnival have respectable entries here in Frosty Secret and double handed Watson has So Will I and Classis Blade with the latter an interesting one here ridden by Richard Hills who is no stranger to winners at this carnival.

Frosty Secret holds a few in this event and meets Prohibit off level terms here after in receipt of 1lb on their last encounter and the pair should be close again here.

So Will I from the Doug Watson yard has his first run here since last year when finishing fourth to Judd Street when off level weights and has to concede 1lb here to Judd Street.

My opinion is that Prohibit and Frosty Secret look like they should step up again here and be big claimers to take this race.Both have landed reasonable low draws here and should be noted in the market.But i feel if i had to put my selection on the block here i would go with the Mike De Kock runner here who has run well on this new surface and should now be fitter for his last outing here when finishing in front of Prohibit.

FROSTY SECRET : 1pt Win @ 9/2 Betfred

[TDM]

15.40

Fourteen go to post here and i personally would stick to present experience around here and who has at least finished in the frame in the previous weeks.

Two really stick out for me is Monte Alto and Emirates Champion.Monte Alto has done nothing wrong for me on his last two starts here.He finished a close third finish behind Emirates Champion thirteen days ago and looked to have the race won when hitting the front, but was only staying on at the one pace until caught on the line by Emirates Champion and Anmar who won the race.

He was concding 6lb to Emirates Champion that day and does so again here and might find it hard to hold off the fast finishing Godolphin horse.

Emirates Champion has showed all ready that he has ability when only losing out by a just under two lengths to Anmar when in receipt of 10lb.has only gone up 1lb on the ratings for that good run and does have plenty of speed to really make his presence felt here.

EMIRATES CHAMPION : 2pt Win @ 13/8

[TDM]

16.15

Delcher Sanchez has Aranel in this who finished second behind Leahurst here on the 28th January by two and a half lengths when in receipt of 2lb in the weights

Gets a massive 9lb today to reverse the form with Leahurst but i feel will be set to chase him home again today.

Luca Cumani's Leahurst showed his abilty when going away with ease to beat Aranel here in January to record a two and a half length to defeat of the latter and i can not see him being beaten here this evening.

Has to contend with a 7lb rise here and off 109 but i feelin the manner how he won here in January he will b ehard to peg back once hitting the front.

So any live outsiders in this could come from Doug Watson's Embalo who has not seen a race course since September 2008 and would defintely need a run here this evening.He was a Group 3 winner in Brazil over 7f 110y and drops back to 6f here. i feel this is to get him fit and to see how he has trained on and if getting a good run should be running on in the closing stages.

But Leahurst should be the one to beat in this on what he showed here last month and record his second victory.

LEAHURST : 4pt Win @ 10/11 Betfred

[TDM]

17.30

First of the Group contests here and all eyes will be on Munir who recorded a win in the 2000 guineas trial here two weeks ago when beating Frozen Power by quarter of a length when having to concede 17lb to his rival that day.He had Oroveso back in third a further length and a quarter when giving 7lb and Solid Choice back in fifth a further three parts of a length when conceding 7lb.

Now can he hold that form again against some he has already beaten this year here at Meydan.Today he concedes 6lb to Frozen Power and meets the other two off level weights.This horse could be somethig special and could progress again with bigger races to cook here at the carnival in the coming weeks.

He was beaten by Solid Choice in South Africa in the Gatecrashers stakes when off level weights but the favorite here has stepped up to show his class and i would not be surprised to see these 1-2 in this tonight.

Munir : 3pt Win @ 1/1 Betfred
Solid Choice : 3/4pt e/w @ 14/1 Betfred

[TDM]

18.05

Again proven runners i feel are the one's to concentrate on here.Snaafy provided a shock win last time out when swooping late to beat Yasoodd over 8f here by one and a quarter lengths, and looked comfortable when doing it.raised 3lb here fo the win and steps up in trip here and has disappointed over these trips in the past and i cannot put my hard money down on this now back up to just short of 10f.

This time around i feel a british winner is due and Brian Meehan's Crowded House ahowed some of his old form when finishing a convincing second on debut here when going down by three and a half lengths to the much proven Alexandros in the Group 3 Al Rashidiya and today gets Jamie Spencer on board, a hold up runner that does have a turn of foot and could go very close here.

CROWDED HOUSE : 1pt Win @ 3/1 Betfred

[TDM]

Four from five and Crowded House lose's under Frank Spencer, what a shame Dettori was not booked to ride this.but a healthy return with a 60/1 four timer.

[TheOldhamWhisper]

That's very impressive - good work :)