Balthazaar’s Gift, the winner of a 1200 meters handicap on the eighth night of the Carnival, will make his reappearance following a winter in Dubai in Saturday’s John Bovington Memorial Criterion Stakes (G3) at Newmarket over seven furlongs.  The son of Xaar was 11th of 12 in the 2009 Dubai Golden Shaheen, won by Big City Man.  One of his challengers in a scheduled field of nine is Imbongi, making his first start in 114 days following a fourth in the Jebel Hatta (G2). 

Age of Reason is one of just five runners scheduled to jump away in the Totesport.com Fred Archer Stakes (Listed), also at Newmarket.  This will be the first start for the 4-year-old bay gelding since a win in the Qatar International Cup in Doha, which was preceded by a rousing Carnival victory over Young Mick. 

Over at Newcastle, the John Smith Northumberland Plate Heritage Handicap features Godolphin’s Friston Forest, who narrowly bested Dubai Racing Club Gold Cup winner Veracity in his only start of the 2009 Carnival.  Friston Forest was second beaten a short head by Caracciola in a listed race at York over 14 furlongs on May 30.  The strong second that day was franked when 12-year-old Caracciola re-upped his form at Ascot with a popular win in the Queen Alexandra Stakes on closing day.

With three starts in Dubai over 2000, 2400, and 3200 meters, Drill Sergeant record 15th, 12th, and 10th place finishes respectively, finishing well behind strong winners Presvis, Friston Forest, and Veracity.  The tide began turning for this gelding by Rock of Gibraltar when he finished last…of three…in the Stanjames.com Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Newmarket.  Bronze Cannon defeated Drill Sergeant by six lengths that day and he came back to land the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) earlier in the card on Saturday. 

J J The Jet Plane finished best of the Carnival graduates when fourth in the Golden Jubilee (G1) as the 5-2 favorite.  The winner of the Al Quoz Sprint (G3), J J The Jet Plane took up the running soon after the start and stayed on even when the closers kicked in with 20-1 outsider Art Connoisseur scoring the upset over American hope Cannonball.  Diabolical finished sixth.

Asset, a winner in the Oxford Handicap at Nad Al Sheba this winter, was a narrowly-defeated second in the Wokingham Stakes on closing day, as well.