 Tim Carroll 's Bio | |
|---|---|
| Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following. | |
Meydan Racecourse – Track Analysis (Dubai World Cup Day):
Meydan Racecourse opened in 2010, consists of two left-handed circuits, turf and dirt, with the turf track on the outside. The turf track, which is noted for its large roomy layout and fairness to all runners, is a flat course, 2400m in circumference and approximately 30m in width, with a straight of 450m. There are two chutes, one at the top of the back straight for races held over 1800m to 2000m, and one at that connects to the top of the home straight, which sees all races from 1000m to 1200m held over a straight course. Although the ground conditions are mostly good on race day, the thick lush well maintained Bermuda grass covering means that horses who like a bit of give underfoot tend to enjoy the ground.
The dirt track is 1750m in circumference and approximately 25m in width, with a home straight of 400m. The chute which is located on the back straight and links to the main circuit in a dog-leg shape, which races over 1400m to 1600m are held. The dirt track replaced the tapeta surface in 2014 and it saw a distinct bias to those handy to the speed that made it difficult for those at the back to win. However, it has improved in recent times with different run styles now able to win, but it is considered that front-runners in evenly run races still hold an advantage.
Eight races from Dubai World Cup Day will be simulcast to Hong Kong this year, four on both the turf and the dirt tracks.
For the races on turf, the 3200m G2 Dubai Gold Cup, runner start from the chute used for the straight races. They have a long run down the home straight before meeting the first bend, and the draw is of no consequence. For the 1200m G1 Al Quoz Sprint, low barriers are on the far side with high numbers toward the grandstand rail. They tend to come down the centre of the track on the straight course, but they can also go toward the rail on either side, but rarely hard up against either rail. It is a fair straight course and winners can come from anywhere, thus judging the pace and when to make your move is key to success.
For the 1800m G1 Dubai Turf, they start from the end of a chute just before it joins the back straight and have a long run before the first bend, which affords all horses every opportunity, thus barriers are of little importance. For the 2410m G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, they start just before the winning post and although the first turn comes up quickly, barriers over this trip are of little consequence, although those wanting to push forward would prefer to be drawn low to middle.
For the dirt races, the 1600m G2 Godolphin Mile, where they jump from a dog-leg shaped chute that links up to the back straight, and horses who like to go forward are better drawn middle to low. For the 1900m G2 UAE Derby, runners start from the main straight which close to the winning post and have a short run before heading onto the first turn. Horses who like to go forward will prefer low to middle barriers, but there is no draw bias as such. For the 1200m G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, runners jump from the back straight and have a decent run before the first turn. Horses who like to go forward are better drawn low to middle, but overall, the draw is of little consequence.
The feature race, 2000m G1 Dubai World Cup, runners jump from half way up the home straight and have a run of approximately 250m to the first bend before turning into the 400m back straight then onto the second bend and into the 400m home straight. Since the dirt was first used in 2015 there have been seven editions of the race (not run in 2020 due to pandemic) with winners coming from mostly middle and high draws. Meanwhile, horses who can hold up off the pace and track the speed will have advantages, and only THUNDER SNOW in 2018 has made all.
Last year's Dubai World Cup was run on a fast track with a field of 15 going to post. REMORSE took up the running, but was soon joined by noted front-runner, PANTHALASSA. Both horses ensured a strong gallop, with BENDOOG and SALUTE THE SOLDIER tracking the leading pair, whilst the defending champion COUNTRY GRAMMER took up a spot slightly better than mid division. PANTHALASSA continued to serve it up to REMORSE, however, as they came to the end of the back straight onto the bend that leads into the home straight. Not surprisingly, both leaders started to struggle and BENDOOG went straight on by with ALGIERS now in hot pursuit. At the same time, COUNTRY GRAMMER started to chase the leaders, but under a hard drive, seemingly with not a lot to offer. At the 300m mark ALGIERS got the better off argument with BENDOOG, who was running on empty, but no sooner had ALGIERS got to the front than the Japanese raider, USHBA TESORO, who had bided his time at the back of the field off the strong gallop, charged down the centre of the track, running over the top of ALGIERS to win comfortably by nearly three-lengths, with ALGIERS in second, whilst EMBLEM ROAD picked up the pieces late to grab the bronze.
The weather forecast is suggesting there could be some rain early in the week leading up to race day. However, unless the forecast has underestimated the amount of rain or the timings, even if the rain does arrive, it is likely the track will have dried out in plenty of time, and conditions will be fast on race day, which it has been every year since the dirt track went down, except for 2017 when the rain arrived late.
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