DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Champion sprinter Roy H has been withdrawn from Saturday’s Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen because of an injured left-front foot, trainer Peter Miller said early Thursday morning.

Roy H has been battling the foot problem, thought to be an abscess, since arriving here in Dubai from California last week. Miller trained Roy H lightly hoping the abscess would burst, which would bring relief from soreness and set the healing process in motion, but as of Thursday morning the hoof still was hot and tender, and Miller was out of time.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Like Winx in Australia, the Japanese filly Almond Eye has captured the imagination of racing fans in her home country.

Unlike Winx, whose epic career has unfolded entirely on familiar home ground, Almond Eye already has left her home country.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A year ago the Dubai-based trainer Satish Seemar watched as his horse North America lost all chance in the 2018 Dubai World Cup by flubbing the start. But because of a change in what his horse hears, Seemar thinks we might see North America win the World Cup here Saturday night.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

Brett Davis

R1 – 2-5-4-9

R2 – 4-3-1-11

R3 – 9-5-7-12

R4 – 1-3-2-7

R5 – 4-2-11-10

R6 – 2-12-4-7

R7 – 5-3-1-2

R8 – 4-3-2-12

Best – R5 N4   Helene Charisma  

Longshot – R1 N2 California Legend

Best Play – R4   Q/Qp   1,2,3

Andrew Le Jeune

R1: 4-9-12-8

R2: 1-3-4-5

R3: 5-9-2-8

R4: 1-7-3-9

R5: 4-2-12-11

R6: 4-12-2-5

R7: 6-1-2-7

R8: 10-3-2-4

Best: R6 N4 Joyful Union

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – If lightning is to strike twice for Thunder Snow, he will have to bolt home from post 12 Saturday night in the $12 million Dubai World Cup.

On a rainy but thunder-and-lightning-free afternoon in Dubai, Thunder Snow, first in the 2018 World Cup, was the second-to-last name called when post positions were drawn for Saturday night’s headliner as well as the four other Group 1 races on the card. With post 13 the only other choice remaining, trainer Saeed bin Suroor did the obvious and selected post 12.

Little Bird is an ultra-quick 5-year-old gelding who used his speed to win a five-furlong handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Feb. 20.

The two-length win has given Little Bird a tougher assignment in Wednesday’s $248,531 Pottinger Peak Handicap at five furlongs at Happy Valley. While the course and distance are the same, Little Bird faces a higher class of competition than at any time in his 13-race Hong Kong career, which began in February 2018.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, March 27, 2019)

Mr Melody, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Scat Daddy, closed from a stalking position to win his first Grade 1 race in Sunday’s $2.17 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen for sprinters at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.

The 6-1 third choice, Mr Melody emerged between runners in the stretch of the six-furlong turf race to win by a half-length over the 107-1 outsider Seiun Kosen in a field of 18. Danon Smash, the 3-2 favorite who had won consecutive Grade 3 sprints in November and January, finished fourth, beaten a little more than a length.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, March 24)

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

Brett Davis

R1: 6-1-8-7

R2: 8-1-9-5

R3: 3-4-9-8

R4: 2-1-11-3

R5: 2-8-1-3

R6: 5-9-1-12

R7: 1-3-6-2

R8: 1-5-6-11

R9: 8-5-9-7

R10: 2-8-6-1

Best Bet – R5: #2 Monica  

Longshot – R8: #11 Dalradian

Best Play – R6: Q/Qp 1,5,9

Paul Lally

R1: 6-11-1-8

R2: 8-9-5-1

Three weeks after her first graded stakes win, the Kentucky-bred Mozu Superflare will start with a leading chance in one of Japan’s toughest sprints – Sunday’s Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse.

By Speightstown, Mozu Superflare has won 6 of 14 starts, the most prestigious of which was the Grade 3 Ocean Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on March 2. The Ocean Stakes was run at six furlongs on turf, the same conditions as the $2.17 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen.