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1. Ahmed Ajtebi continues his masterful run this season and is my initial pick to land the Meydan Masters – he is just riding this course so darn well.  The win in the Thursday opener was no exception, guiding Antinori from a long last, slaloming through the big field while staying inside, a path that hasn’t always been successful.  He is improving each and every night on the track and the locals absolutely adore his wins.  He stamped himself a presence in 2009 with the Dubai World Cup and Breeders’ Cup meeting wins, his day-in and day-out form has marked him as a top rider.

2. Props to Kuwaiti trainer Rashed Bouresly, who has been known to have his horses so tuned to keep running week to week, earned his first Carnival win when Star Crowned pipped Macau raider Good Control in the second race.  Star Crowned has back class, finishing third in the 2008 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), a race in which he was overwhelmingly hampered in the running. 

3.  Midshipman looked great winning his seven furlong event over a field with less class than he faced over the mile of the Maktoum Challenge (G3).  Presuming he goes on World Cup night, likely in the Godolphin Mile (G2), Midshipman would be making his all-important third start off the layoff. 

4.  Zirconeum was a disappointment in the Balanchine (G3) but Deem strutted her stuff once again over the Dubai green, timing the win over Aspectoflove to perfection.  The Saudis hold another strong hand here and we could see them with several World Cup night contenders.

5.  I think everyone was surprised that Sabotage took the DRC Gold Cup, even apprentice jockey Mickael Barzalona.  When there are four Saeed bin Suroor entrants, and your name does not end with Dettori, Durcan, or Ajtebi, and you are NOT wearing blue, the public tends to dismiss you, even if your last run over 2,800 meters was encouraging.  I am as guilty as any.  Didn’t see that one coming.

6.  A note of personal handicapping misery here as Lucky Find, a strong selection from us last start when caught by Turkey’s Pan River in the final stages of a turf event, came back to win at a decent price.  Through seven nights of the Carnival, Mike De Kock’s treble brings his total of Carnival wins this season to 11, seven behind Saeed bin Suroor. 

7.  Crowded House, second to Allybar in the Maktoum Challenge R2 (G3), was the recipient of a significant level of support in the UK, causing many betting houses make a dramatic halving of his odds for the Dubai World Cup (G1).  Crowded House is expected to make his third start of a significant layoff in the world’s richest race on March 27.

8.  Jamie Spencer, outgunned on Crowded House in that race, will miss the big Super Thursday meeting as he was suspended for two nights, which includes this Thursday’s penultimate meeting at the 2010 Carnival.  Spencer was charged with careless riding when he caused significant crowding in the sixth race from the February 19th program, taking his mount, Cat Junior, outward while hampering three others.  Spencer is due to return for the Meydan Masters card on March 5.

9.  As mentioned in a previous posting, Jeremy Noseda charge Leahurst is being aimed at the 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen.  One item that makes Leahurst stick out, despite being a dual winner at the Carnival, is that his win on opening night was 1.4 seconds faster than Raihana’s win over the same trip.  The track was playing notably slower, early in the Carnival, but that win really gleams, especially considering Raihana has come back to win, taking the UAE Oaks after a fourth in the UAE 1000 Guineas.

Get ready for a big week of racing as Super Thursday brings us seven stakes events while the Meydan Masters awaits for Friday.  It should be a grand finale to the 2010 Dubai International Racing Carnival.