Benbatl was a very good 3-year-old last year in Europe, but his star is really rising this winter in Dubai.
Three weeks after an easy win in the Singspiel Stakes at Meydan Racecourse, Benbatl won with even greater ease Thursday in the Group 2, $250,000 Al Rashidiya Stakes. Benbatl got home by 3 3/4 lengths over Bay of Poets, and the sectional timing backed up his visually impressive performance.
A pair of Group 2 turf races, the Al Rashidiya over 1,800 meters and the Al Fahidi Fort over 1,400 meters, highlight the Thursday card at the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan.
Both races are worth $250,000 and drew solid fields. The Al Rashidiya is race 2, post time 9:05 a.m. Eastern, while the Al Fahidi Fort goes as race 5, post time 11:50.
HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, January 31)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
Brett Davis
Race 1: 11-1-7-5
Race 2: 9-5-8-2
Race 3: 2-5-8-6
Race 4: 3-10-8-1
Race 5: 8-2-4-1
Race 6: 10-4-9-6
Race 7: 6-10-2-11
Race 8: 5-12-11-1
Best Bet - Race 6: #10 Super Form
Longshot - Race 4: #8 Applause
Best Play - Race 4: Q/QP 3,8,10
At the bottom of the ratings might lurk a top contender for the $239,210 Southorn Handicap on Wednesday night at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.
At 83, Jing Jing Win is the lowest rated horse among 12 in the main body of the Southorn, but there is reason to believe he has a decent chance in the 1200-meter Class 2 handicap that’s co-featured on an eight-race program.
HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, January 31, 2018)
RACE 1: #7 Peace Combination, #10 Showing Character, #9 Nashashuk, #11 Lunar Zephyr
RACE 2: #1 Rock The Tree, #7 So Generous, #5 Winaswewish, #2 Savannah Wind
RACE 3: #7 Har Har Heart, #8 Never Better, #2 Golden Sleep, #5 Daring Heart
RACE 4: #3 London Master, #4 Dr Proactive, #2 Love Chunghwa, #5 Starlot
Thursday night, like so many nights before it at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, belonged to Godolphin, which won four of the eight races on the card, including the featured Cape Verdi Stakes with Promising Run, and one division of the UAE 2000 Guineas with the promising first-time dirt runner Gold Town.
If you enjoyed the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile and the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup back on Dec. 10, you really ought to get a charge out of the Group 1, $1,279,300 Stewards’ Cup on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse.
The first four finishers from the Hong Kong Mile, headed by victorious Beauty Generation, plus the top two home in the Hong Kong Cup, Time Warp and Werther, are among 13 entrants in a dynamite edition of the Stewards’ Cup.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, January 28, 2018)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
RACE 1: #3 The Legend, #4 Winner St Paul's, #12 Carry To Win, #14 Bliss Cartel
RACE 2: #7 Happy Rocky, #5 Top Act, #4 Premium Champion, #12 My Blessing
RACE 3: #4 Eighty Eighty, #13 Lucky Lucky, #7 Glittering Armour, #2 Nice Kick
