Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Meydan Racecourse – Track Analysis (Dubai Super Saturday):


The lavish, state-of-the-art Meydan Racecourse features two left-handed tracks of almost immaculate precision: a standard inner dirt oval, 25m in width all round with a 400m homestretch, enveloped by a 30m wide turf track that reaches 450m from the top of the lane to the finish, and further augmented with a 1200m turf chute to cater for sprints. Smooth and hardly undulating, both tracks still present tight turns winging both sides of the course, particularly the inner dirt oval, where its slightly banked turns are often a challenge for big movers from out wide.

Meanwhile, getting fiercely sun-baked right on the desert fringe, it is noticeable that both the dirt and turf courses at Meydan – even installed the watering systems – are listed as fast and firm almost year-round, and is a remarkable feature that often gets deep closers in deep trouble, especially in middle-distance or routing contests.

For the night’s contests on the turf course, the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint will utilize the full straight course stretching from the 1200m chute back to the finish, and generally favours middle or outside speed. Whereas runners in the 1800m Jebel Hatta will likewise travel through an extended backstretch before reaching the far turn; together with a more sedate early pace in middle-distance contests, horses breaking from out wide still have plenty of time to find their choice spots. Rather, with a brief run-up to the first turn in the 2410m Dubai City Of Gold, outside-drawn runners, to avoid losing ground heading into that turn, will invariably be forced into deep stalking positions from far back.

Back onto the dirt oval, fields for both the 1900m Al Bastakiya and the 2000m Al Maktoum Challenge R3, likewise to their Dubai City Of Gold counterparts on turf, will launch a short stampede to the first turn yet again, and outside-drawn runners need to be taken back – and often way further than what their usual running styles indicate – behind others, in attempt to save ground. In contrast, the 1200m Mahab Al Shimaal and the 1600m Burj Nahaar are both “one-turn” races only, and with a long backstretch to travel, a bad post from far outside is still manageable.

With sunny skies and minimal chance of precipitation through Saturday, according to the local forecasts, “fast and firm” will again be the track listing comes race night at Meydan, thus the majority of race selections would still gravitate towards speed horses getting sent to the front early.

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