ALL ROADS LEAD TO MEYDAN – COME AND WATCH

As you are opening your copies of Al Adiyat on this public holiday can I encourage you to come racing tonight or tomorrow night at Meydan to witness some racing of the highest quality at the Dubai International Racing Carnival. There is a truly spectacular racing and incredible performances by athletes both human and equine. Consistently track, class and race records are being set and the fact a Pick 7 player has not gone through the card yet pays testament to the difficulty of winning a race. After 37 races of the 2011 Dubai International Racing Carnival Trainers from six countries have won races and jockeys from seven countries showing the true international flavour of the Carnival. Both the leading trainers South Africa’s Mike de Kock and the UAE Saeed Bin Surour have now earned over the million dollar mark as we enter round five of the Carnival. It is a great night out and you never know who you might meet. Stars from many fields have been spotted at the Carnival and you may just find yourself standing next to one.

Last week Mike De Kock having three winners and Christophe Soumillon riding to four victories cemented their places at the top of their respective fields. De Kock’s horses are always prepared to the second for their races and watching Soumillon, who is riding with supreme confidence, is a pleasure to behold as he gives every one of his mounts the best opportunity to win. The rising star of the jockey ranks in the Carnival is Mi

Mike de Kock last week admitted to feeling the pressure to be handling the favourite for the Dubai World Cup in Bold Silvano. De Kock said: "It's a bit nerve-wracking. I didn't come to Dubai thinking he would be a World Cup horse, but certainly on his last performance, he does warrant respect, he's rated 120 now and I think that's probably where he's at. He does very well on the all-weather, he trains very well and he's a long-striding horse."

One of his likely rival is Twice Over who is due to travel to Dubai in the next few days to start preparing for a bid at the Dubai World Cup. Last year the six year old arrived a week before the race, but his trainer, Henry Cecil, has changed his plans this year for the multiple group 1 winning son of Observatory. This year he is going to have a prep race in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on Super Thursday (March 3^rd) to get him some race experience on the Tapeta and also more acclimatised prior to the Dubai World Cup. Henry Cecil said: "Twice Over seems in very good form and is on track in his bid to try and win the Dubai World Cup. He will go over to Dubai in the next week with the intention of giving him a prep race before the big race." He appears to be in good order as the trainer continued: “I’m pleased with the six-year-old, who has been enjoying his exercise in the build-up to his Dubai trip”

The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Chamberlain Bridge made a successful start to his season in the Rail Splitter Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. The seven year old bay gelding by War Chant remains on course for a crack at the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup Night.

Robert Cowell on his website showed what having a winner at Meydan means and the excitement it generates after Prohibit won last week. “What a thrilling day it was, with Prohibit winning the big sprint of the day, The Dubai Trophy.  He ran a superb race under Jockey Christophe Soumillon.  This was our biggest win in prize money so far;  all the team thoroughly deserved it. The yard is certainly buzzing and we are all looking forward to the rest of our Dubai Carnival campaign. Lui Rei and Vitznau will look to race today.  As for Prohibit, he will wait for the 1000m Conditions race on 3rd March, with a view to being invited to run at the World Cup, on 26th March, in the Group 2, Al Quoz Sprint.”

Rashid Boursely spoke of Comeradeship and his belief that he is handling a Group 1 horse. He said: “if we can get the start sorted out, then the finish is good, but you cannot lost six lengths at the start and expect to win.” The plan is to keep running him at the Carnival and he will be even better next year.”

Snow Fairy’s target remain undecided but after tweeting that she had done her first piece of fast work Ed Dunlop said : “Everything went fine. It was her first gallop and we were very happy with the way she went. It was nothing too serious. She went up the Al Bahathri gallop as she normally does.” He continued: "There is no decision which race she goes for if she goes to Dubai and she will only be going out there if we're happy with her. If she does go, she'll go straight to the World Cup night. We won't be making a decision whether she goes until early March and if she does go, she won't fly out until 10 or 12 days before the race."

Well done to Frederic Guignard who is still leading the “race to the dubai world cup” and we are half way through the competition so there is still plenty of time to catch him.