Click HERE for more from the Daily Racing Form.

These numbers are nothing short of a coup for interested parties.  The fair Tapeta surface, incredible field sizes, and a wide array of wagering opportunities and outlets served as a catalyst for this unprecedented success.  “In a world of diminishing returns, the fan participation generated by Dubai racing—and the corresponding excitement  of the sheer sport against the pageantry of the spectacular new Meydan Racecourse—is a striking example of horse racing at its best,” said Nelson Clemmens, chief executive officer of AmWest Entertainment, in a Tuesday press release. 

The Dubai World Cup card did offer one additional race for wagering than in previous years, a fact that may have helped the overall numbers but still not enough to account for $800,000 in added handle.  If anything, the added race assisted in pushing the schedule of races back to allow for more of the wagering public to recognize the opportunity.  The first thoroughbred race of the night, the Al Quoz Sprint (G3), went off at 9:25 A.M. in New York and 6:25 A.M. in Los Angeles. 

While not confirmed, many expect the size and scope of the 2011 Carnival could increase, offering even greater opportunity to partake going forward.

De Kock announced that 2010 Dubai World Cup (G1) second home, Lizard’s Desire, will go for the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tim while stablemate Imbongi, third in the Dubai Duty Free (G1) is pointed for the Champions Mile on April 25.  Musir and Raihana will head off to Australia for trainer David Payne and return for the Dubai season late in the year.

Click HERE for the full article.

If it is not yet obvious – it better be…you almost have to be in it to win it.  The Dubai International Racing Carnival claimed four of the eight winners on Dubai World Cup night as graduates and 15 of the 24 horses who finished in the top three of the eight races.  With the purse structure as it is, the shipping allowances and incentives to connection…why would you NOT want to send horses for the Carnival?

2.  MAHMOUD AL ZAROONI

What a better way for Godolphin’s newest trainer to emerge on the scene than a win in his first start (with Calming Influence in the Godolphin Mile) and a third in the 2010 Dubai World Cup (with Allybar). 

3.  SINGAPORE TURF CLUB

Could the folks from Singapore have been a bit more happy with the overall results from Saturday?  Sure – if Rocket Man was allowed to run freer on the front end, perhaps he would have had the edge on Kinsale King.  But when Gloria De Campeao ran on in the Dubai World Cup and Bankable was a strong second in the Dubai Duty Free, the first and third home in last year’s Singapore International Airlines Cup (G1) accounted for two great placings.  It does not hurt that Joy And Fun, a regular placer behind Sacred Kingdom, winner of the KrisFlyer International Sprint (G1), took the Al Quoz Sprint (G3).  DubaiRaceNight.com is expected to be in Singapore for the 2010 SIA Cup, the announced target for Gloria De Campeao.

4.  CARL O’CALLAGHAN

Relatively unknown trainer Carl O’Callaghan seemed to lap up every moment of his trip to the 2010 Dubai World Cup, including a shout-out to a table of Irish racegoers at Breakfast With the Stars.  It made him sound like a kid at a party – turned out the party was his own once Kinsale King ran on to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1).  What makes it all better is that O’Callaghan had the vision to send his horse to prep for the Golden Shaheen over the Tapeta surface at America’s Golden Gate Fields, giving his charge two workouts over the same surface used at Meydan.

5.  MICHAEL DICKINSON

For that matter, how bout Mr. Tapeta himself?  The Dubai World Cup produced a fabulous finish, with ten horses separated by less than three lengths, and winners came from all areas of the course.  Jaafer, in the Dubai Kahayla Classic, and Musir, in the UAE Derby, came from well off the pace, while Calming Influence, Kinsale King, and Gloria De Campeao won up front.  This surface plays so true – if there is no pace, the closers will struggle.  If it there is pace, closers have a better chance.  Dickinson was out all week in the morning talking to jockeys about the surface, all of whom seemed unbelievably positive. 

6.  AHMED AJTEBI

The UAE native just continues to impress on the big stages.  He was a combined 3/4 of a length away from three wins on the night.  While hosting a front-running score in the Godolphin Mile on Calming Influence, he nearly pulled off the upset in the Al Quoz Sprint on Fravashi and had Allybar nipped in the Dubai World Cup.  This guy is for real and it was announced he will do most of the riding for the aforementioned Mahmoud Al Zarooni.

7.  GLOBAL HORSE RACING

So many nooks in the world of horse racing could claim winners on the big night.  From Qatar and the Netherlands celebrating Jaafer’s win in the Kahayla Classic, to Hong Kong and New Zealand in the Al Quoz Sprint, the UAE/South Africa/Australia in the UAE Derby, America/Ireland in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the UAE in the Godolphin Mile and Dubai Duty Free, Great Britain in the Dubai Sheema Classic, Brazil/Sweden/France in the Dubai World Cup – does racing have a more international night?  There may have only been eight winning horses on the card, but many more nationalities and identities claimed champions at racing’s richest meeting.

America’s Daily Racing Form offers readers with fantastic insight into a variety of racing topics.  A realistic analysis of the racing from Meydan is NOT one of them.  In a story published three weeks ago, their writer indicated that the racing at Meydan has favored horses closing from off the pace.  In fact, Zenyatta trainer John Shirreffs, in explaining the original rationale for sending his mare, Life Is Sweet for the Dubai World Cup, cited the strong closer’s bias at Meydan – just days after the DRF article first appeared.  After complications following a workout in California, Life Is Sweet has since been retired.

Here are the facts.

66 thoroughbred races were contested at Meydan over the nine nights of the 2010 Carnival.  Let’s eliminate the 14 turf races and focus on the 52 Tapeta events. 

Racing at Meydan was run in two groupings: races held over the first two weekends (January 28, February 4, February 5) and the rest of the Carnival (six nights).  Michael Dickinson, Tapeta’s creator and in Dubai overseeing the surface performance throughout the Carnival, opened the Tapeta allowing for some greater speed after the initial two weekends.  Races were conducted on the Tapeta over distances of: 1200, 1400, 1600, 1900, 2000, 2200 meters.  The slowest two times at each distance were recorded on one of the three specific dates listed above. 

Races starting the front stretch (1900, 2000, 2200 meters) accounted for 22 of the 52 races, backstretch starts (1200, 1400, 1600 meters) accounted for the other 30 races.  Based on our visual observation of every race of the Carnival, winners have been classified into the following categories:

-          FRMA (front-runners who made all or nearly all the running)
-          RF (ran forwardly and were within close contact of the leaders)
-          MP (ran the majority of the race from mid-pack)
-          CL (closed from beyond mid-pack and rallied past most of the other runners)
-          FB (far back and closed past all or nearly all the field)

For races of 1,900 meters or more:

-          6 winners were forwardly placed (1 FRMA, 5 RF)
-          7 came from mid pack
-          9 were considered closers or came from far back

For races of 1,600 meters or less:

-          15 winners were forwardly places (2 FRMA, 13 RF)
-          5 came from mid pack
-          10 were considered closers or came from far back (note that only 2 winners in this category succeeded when racing over 1,200 meters, both wins coming on the first two nights of the Carnival).

For the entire Carnival:

-          21 winners were forwardly placed
-          12 came from mid pack
-          19 were closers

An overwhelming bias favoring closers?  I think not.  The Tapeta at Meydan has played incredibly fair and should offer a fabulous surface to conduct the 2010 Dubai World Cup meeting, the world’s richest day of racing.

Race 1 – $55,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (G1) for purebred Arabians, 2,000 meters, Tapeta

#9 NO RISK AL MAURY leaves us no choice but to put him up top.  His performance on opening night was a strong, easy win, and another similar performance could leave us a monumental showdown of top Arabians in the Kahayla Classic to kick off the World Cup card.  The pick.  #10 KANDAR DU FALGAS was not completely overwhelmed in his fourth on opening night and stands to come on for that run.  #8 VITE ROYALE goes close and adds a visor for this event; his rash of placings could continue here.  It is worth noting that #6 RABAH DE CARRERE ran incredibly well in his only lifetime start over all-weather.

1st – #9 NO RISK AL MAURY, 2nd – #10 KANDAR DU FALGAS, 3rd – #8 VITE ROYALE

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Race 2 – $250,000 Bahri Al Bastakiya (Listed), 1,900 meters, Tapeta

Any way you look at it, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum has had a magnificent Carnival, landing the UAE Oaks and UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) with homebred offspring from Redoute’s Choice.  Sadly, his #1 MUSIR was declared a non-runner late Tuesday and his quest to become the second UAE Triple Crown is foiled.  So where do we go from here?

The popular choice in most of the international wagering is likely to center on #8 VALE OF YORK, the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) champion.  That win came from nowhere, frankly, and had runner-up Lookin At Lucky not endured such a monumentally wide trip, chances are we wouldn’t have seen Ahmed Ajtebi in the winner’s circle that day.  Given what Godolphin has said about this son of Invisible Spirit, I tend to think his chance to win is a small one, even with the Musir scratch.  Don’t take a short price if you don’t have to…I won’t.

I’m siding with #4 DELLA BARBA.  Assistant trainer Stephane Chevalier was very positive about the chances of this colt by Della Francesca and his third behind Musir in the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3), his first start in almost seven months, was a very decent performance.  He stands to come on for that run with a win over the track and the breeding suggests he can get this longer trip, a 300 meter jump over his previous long.  Della Francesca was a winner over 2,000 meters in the UK and we could see Della Barba improving Thursday.

#13 UNCLE TOM was really closing on #14 MENDIP last time out.  Both ran great races, but I thought Uncle Tom was the real eye-catcher out of the race.  Mendip has every reason to improve off that last effort and the breeding is there to suggest he can handle the trip.  Uncle Tom is likely to be a bit of a price and could pull off a mild upset with the win, that we consider quite possible.

1st – #4 DELLA BARBA, 2nd – #13 UNCLE TOM, 3rd – #14 MENDIP

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Race 3 – $200,000 Elnadim Mahab Al Shimaal (G3), 1,200 meters, Tapeta

It is worth noting that the 2009 winner of this race, Gayego, skips an appearance here in what might be a lesson learned for Godolphin.  His run second off the layoff late in 2009, winning the Ancient Title at Santa Anita, was so big that Saeed bin Suroor and Team Blue might think it best to leave him in the barn with the big race on the horizon.  I have heard nothing otherwise to indicate an injury.  Now, on to those who are here…

#2 DESERT PARTY will go sprinting in his first start since sustaining an injury in the 2009 Kentucky Derby (G1).  He was a top pick of mine that day and caught an awful trip where he was jostled about quite a bit.  The problem?  This trip seems too short for him and I would be impressed as anything if he came out guns ablaze with a big effort.  I just doubt we see the best from him in this spot.  Fourth.

#7 WAR ARTIST ran the fastest 1,200 meters of the Carnival so far and gapped the field well turning for home with a burst from in between runners.  He is saddled with an added 3.5 kilos for this run, which could prove some added challenge.  There is little one can do to avoid comparing his win to that of #10 FORCE FREEZE, whose second over Star Crowned was later franked when he came back to win last week.  The former was more visually impressive than the latter, and the times don’t lie. 

#3 BARBECUE EDDIE struggled to repeat his form from early in the Carnival after breaking slow, absolutely killing his chances.  Willie Supple rushed him up to the lead and forced him on, leading to the eventual backpedaling we saw.  He totes an added 5.5 kilos on Thursday and faces some tougher company. 

#12 MUTHEEB had a troubled trip three back and followed up with a win by a handy five over Stoic.  He too was no matche for Sirocco Breeze when second on February 18 and makes his fourth start of the Carnival.  If anything, the breeding on this colt suggests he would prefer a longer trip, not a shorter one.  As for #4 PRINCE SHAUN, is there anything wrong with thinking he can’t run back to a decent placing he did before?  Leahurst is pointed to the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), and this gelding scoped dirty earlier in the season.  With the hot pace likely, he could come sporting from the back.  I think a placing chance also needs to be given to #1 PALAZZONE whose third over 1,400 meters in February 11 was a game run.  The 200 meters drop should benefit him as well.

1st – #7 WAR ARTIST, 2nd – #3 BARBECUE EDDIE, 3rd – #4 PRINCE SHAUN   

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Race 4 – $200,000 Alhaarth Burj Nahaar (G3), 1,600 meters, Tapeta

This Godolphin Mile (G2) prep gives us a host of solid Carnival performers, including handy winners #6 SKYSURFERS and #7 CALMING INFLUENCE, both for the home teamers.  Skysurfers has been handled with gentle care, not debuting until late in his 3-year-old season and blasted a strong field two weeks ago over the same trip.  He actually gets a slight weight break here and has been quoted in some pools for the Dubai World Cup (G1).  While you cannot doubt the running lines, I’m leary of the price, and the ability to bounce back so fast after taking so long to get to the races. 

My pick here is #5 FORGOTTEN VOICE, who flashed home in the Maktoum Challenge R1 (G3) on opening night.  His move was the most eye-catching from that race and I really thought he stamped himself a World Cup contender.  Jeremy Noseda is taking the cautious approach with the son of Danehill Dancer, who was unbeaten on the all-weather before that strong second to Gloria De Campeao.  His Maktoum Challenge run was somewhat troubled with traffic and he made up about ten to twelve lengths on the leaders after being the last horse to turn for home.  Ryan Moore has to be confident getting back aboard and it is worth noting that Midshipman, fourth that day, came back to win handy last week, while the third home, Consul General, confirmed that effort with another third behind Skysurfers. 

#12 SONEVA is a filly against the boys in this spot and was game as could be winning the Cape Verde (G3) on February 5.  Second home that day, Aspectoflove, came back to run another strong race in the Balanchine (G3) last week.  The breeding lines on Soneva indicate she should not be frightful of a race away from the grass. 

It is also tough to ignore #9 GREEN COAST, a winner two weeks ago over a seven furlong trip here.  We’ve talked much about him in our analysis before, he is a consistent type who loves getting in the frame.  The stakes go up today. 

The eleventh placing for #10 DON RENATO, who had been 18-for-22 in the placings prior to his Meydan debut, was uninspiring.  Perhaps he doesn’t like the surface or maybe something just went wrong.  We can give him another shot to grab a piece of the pie before falling off the bandwagon.

1st – #5 FORGOTTEN VOICE, 2nd – #12 SONEVA, 3rd – 6 SKYSURFERS

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Race 5 -  $250,000 Marju Dubai City of Gold (G2), 2,485 meters, turf

Could this race have a few more question marks?  Does #9 PAN RIVER re-confirm his form, franked a week ago when Lucky Find was a handy winner over Tapeta?  Will #12 QUIJANO finally win another race that isn’t held at Milan?  He is the back-to-back winner of a stakes race there but started his career 10-for-11 and is 4-for-21 since, with the two Milan wins and two in his native Germany.  He’s almost always close and tough to throw out…he looks for his first Carnival win since 2007, when he won this very race.

Does #5 HALICARNASSUS keep thriving?  His second over Tapeta was encouraging, his win over Mourilyan was downright impressive, making all the running and holding sway over this trip.  You never know when this entire wants to keep staying!

Will #6 PURPLE MOON prep again with a decent performance with eyes on a bigger prize?  Fourth beaten more than two last year in this event, the son of Galileo came back to a devastating third in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) and has been off ever since for Luca Cumani.  The layoff is the primary concern, but you know Luca will have him as fit as possible.  #14 KING OF ROME gets back on turf after four local efforts that have some quality behind them. 

And then we have the classy #2 CAMPANOLOGIST, winner over Bankable at Windsor last year and the keeper of some solid company.  How does he take off the shelf?  He will run forward with Halicarnassus and holds that awesome class line when he bested Conduit back in 2008. 

Find me the dart board, I’m stumped.  Let’s go with #6 Purple Moon.  Pan River was asked for a ton of run last time and while he was actually in front of two next out winners, the overall field quality just wasn’t the same as today.  Pick an angle – you can apply to just about anyone here.

1st – #6 PURPLE MOON, 2nd – #12 QUIJANO, 3rd – #2 CAMPANOLOGIST

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Race 6 – $300,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (G2), 2,000 meters, Tapeta

The great race mare #8 VODKA makes her lifetime debut away from the turf and stands to use this as a prep for the Dubai World Cup (G1), if things go well, or a leg-stretcher for the Dubai Duty Free (g1) if things do not.  She is a real firecracker, winning ten of 25 lifetime starts, but if you think I have enough sure-footed confidence to put her on top – you are crazy.  I absolutely must see one from her before judging. 

Godolphin unveils #11 CAVALRYMAN, a solid third in the Prix d’la Arc de Triomphe, just two lengths behind Sea The Stars, and was incredibly impressive to have stayed on throughout the running.  A son of Halling, a winner of two legs of the Maktoum Challenge from years past, you should think that Cavalryman can get over the Tapeta, training in Dubai this winter. 

#5 GLORIA DE CAMPEAO, winner of the first leg of this event on opening night, goes second off the shelf and has been doing some of the best running of his career in the last year.  If that January race were 100 meters more, he is a loser.  Can he win with the same trip over 2,000 meters today?  I don’t think so. 

I have long-argued that #14 JOE LOUIS was best around 2,000 meters, and he showed that when winning over the trip in Saudi three starts back, last November.  He was our narrow pick over Well Armed in the 2009 Dubai World Cup, and well, you know how that turned out.  Can he get over the Tapeta?  We’ll see.  Again – this is about recency.  Ignore the last start when Wind Flow pulled a monument King’s Cup upset after a ridiculous pace-duel compromised the normal run of the race.  He could challenge for a spot.

#2 ALLYBAR pops up in the rankings five pounds while #1 LIZARD’S DESIRE is up eight, both dual-Carnival winners over the distance.  Their recency edge, to be, puts them on top in this event.  While other horses outclass them on past form, you cannot knock the recent ability they have shown to get over this course.  How well Allybar does after a significant exertion last time is a bit of a question, but that win over well-backed Crowded House was a stong one.  I think both could run big ones again, and to a different degree, will be surprised if either of these DO NOT run a decent race. 

1st – #2 ALLYBAR, 2nd – #1 LIZARD’S DESIRE , 3rd – #14 JOE LOUIS

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Race 7 – $250,000 Haatel Jebel Hatta (G2), 1,800 meters, Turf

This is a fitting way to end Super Thursday with one of the best fields of the Carnival.  I don’t think we can argue that #1 PRESVIS is back in the right spot.  It is just a REALLY tough spot.  The reuniting with Ryan Moore is a positive change and the return to turf a good sign as well.  He is appropriately top-rated along with #8 JUSTENUFFHUMOR, who should be off a few pegs in my mind. 

#3 ALEXANDROS was spot-on in his Al Rashidiya (G3) victory over Crowded House, just powering away from the field.  He runs forward whereas Presvis often flashes from the tail.  He will be the one catch, in my eye.  #6 IBN BATTUTA was gallant in defeat in the Al Fahidi Fort (G2) but it has been a long season and with the waters even deeper here, another placing might be the limit.  #7 ZIRCONEUM was our pick, twice this Carnival.  She didn’t have much excuse last time when Deem won but she just keeps looking more and more like Jay Peg to me, who labored with decent runs in the Carnival and exploded on World Cup night, winning the Dubai Duty Free (G1) in course record time. 

#5 LAHALEEB was a monstrous longshot winner at Woodbine and sold after that.  She would seem to be facing a tough task.  In the end, the powerful stride of Alexandros leans me in his direction.

1st – #3 ALEXANDROS, 2nd – #1 PRESVIS, 3rd – #7 ZIRCONEUM