Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips & Preview

As per usual, Doug Watson has hit the ground running over in Dubai and one of those responsible for his excellent start is COSMO CHARLIE (NAP) (best price 5-4) and he’s strongly fancied to supplement those recent gains with plenty in his favour. Following a decent start to his career, the Stay Thirsty colt went on to post a notable victory in the listed Al Bastakiya back in March and as that success came at the main expense of the useful pair, Qatar Man and Capezzano, you can see why connections would have felt the urge to run him in the UAE Debry on his final outing to the campaign. Unfortunately, he failed to cut much ice in that Group 2 affair, but fresh off a break on his return to action, he couldn’t have been any more impressive the way he dismantled his rivals with a powerful display of front running. Away from the gates sharply, he quickly secured the box seat next to the rail and in keeping on strongly all the way to the line, he went on to post the fastest furlong-per-furlong time at the track so far this season. Drawn perfectly to allow him to jump and run around the favoured inside, if he does manage to get to the front at the intersection (where the mile shoot meets the round track after roughly a furlong), he will be almost impossible to pass given his speed figures and willingness not to give away his advantage lightly.

FAULKNER (best price 5-1) could have done with a slightly better drawn, but to be fair, several of his main rivals have been posted out wide, so his chance of going close shouldn’t be too badly compromised. Yet to finish outside the money in nine starts out in the desert, Doug Watson’s inmate shaped with loads of promise when staying on strong to finish a never-nearer second to the smart Cosmo Charlie (runs in 4.15) here last time out and given what kind of speed figure the winner knocked out, the performance deserves even more credence. Moreover, all his best form is over four bends at this venue and having hit the board against the likes of Frosted, Le Bernadin and Special Fighter in the past, he should find tonight’s company well within his range. 

In-keeping with most handicaps at this venue, a tricky one to solve, but both ABOVE US ONLY SKY (best price 11-2) and ACARI (best price 10-1) have shown enough to put themselves forward as viable candidates to capture a prize of this nature. The former made an inauspicious start to all-weather racing when a well-beaten ninth of 12 over today’s C&D, but as that performance came off the back of a 56-day break, it was probably best to take a lenient view. Having that mindset was certainly vindicated next time out when she ran an altogether more promising race, catching the eye by running on very strongly from the back of the field over 6f behind the in-form Koybig. In making up a huge amount of ground in the home straight, Charles O’Brien’s filly clocked 34 and change from the 3f pole and with that run likely to have her somewhere near peak fitness, she can be expected to go close now stepping back up in trip.
The latter hadn’t done much to set the pulses racing until finishing off his race with some gusto over tonight’s C&D last time out and if reproducing the same kind of performance levels here this evening, there’s a chance he might be capable of shedding the maiden tag. Indeed, had he not endured a troubled passage at a crucial stage, he may have actually obliged 20 days ago and with the similar set of opponents facing him this evening, hopes are high that another big effort ensues.