MEYDAN RACECOURSE DUBAI CARNIVAL LATEST TIPS FOR THE AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE

It's the first day of the widely-anticipated Dubai Carnival season and, while racing fans across the world lick their lips look at the absolutely incredible facilities on display outside Dubai, it can be pretty easy to forget that we've got a few weeks of absolutely first-class thoroughbred racing- for some of the world's highest stakes!

I've picked out a few highlights over the day's card of 7 races and taken a lengthy look at the Betting Exchanges. In the 10:20 at Meydan, the Intadab Handicap Sponsored by Shadwell Farm. It's a 9 and a bit furlongs over the Tapeta surface with 17 entries set to line up. The betting favourites appear to be Irish Hero Proponent (Peintre Celebre) at 6.2 and local favourite Mike De Kock's has Irish runners including King of Rome (Montjeu) at 9.2 and South African Lizard's Desire (Lizard Island)- the current betting favourite at 3.7. Both of these horses are owned by Sheikh Al Maktoum himself. . 
Proponent is set to have Kieran Fallon aboard for the trip having scored in handicap company last time out at Newmarket in early October. He stayed on well there but isn't exactly the most accomplished runner in the world. He's had iffy form in the past and it will be interesting to see how he pans out on the tapeta surface. He doesn't look out of place against the field and with the right trip could do some damage. He's a very solid place choice. Lizard's Desire is a lightly-raced 5 year-old who debuted at Group level and has been a bit all over the place. He has 3 starts with 1 win, 1 place and a 10/14. He's a bit short in price, in my opinion, so I'll be staying away. King of Rome hasn't won in a few years and I don't see him getting it solved here. He placed in Dubai last year at Group level, but hasn't had much to write home about. 
I'm actually quite interested in Saeed Bin Suroor's new prodigy, the Australian bay Imvula (Rock of Gibraltar) who hasn't scored in a while, but could do well having gotten the training from Godolphin's top man. I think he will likely go off at a very high price and is a solid each-way shout. 
The 12:35 Mustanfar Sponsored by Shadwell Farm, another handicap, looks like a solid outing with a few interesting names here. The Godolphin-owned 4 year old Whispering Gallery (Daylami) has 3 from 4 lifetime and has taken two one the bounce, one at York and one at Newmarket. The Darley-bred bay looks a solid bet at 2.42 at Betfair. Halicarnassus (Cape Cross) is a familiar name to some Irish fans and he is an interesting each-way selection at 19.0. His last victory came on the turf in Turkey at Veliefendi in a Turkish Group 2 against a field of 12. He has been patchy since then thoughout a lot of his globetrotting career but could spring a real surprise if he gets the right type of trip. Sopranist (Singspiel) looks a solid bet for a place at least and he's carrying odds to win at 5.2. The Saeed Bin Suroor-trained runner is 1722- lifetime and has put in some solid 2nd place finishes against decent fields. I think he's a real contender here. 
Whispering Gallery, by most logic should take this one, and despite the slimmer price, I think he's a decent bet partnered up with Sopranist on an forecast. 
The final race that has caught my eye here is the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1. There is a lot of class on display here, but one that I'm especially interested in is the Godolphin-owned Argetinian runner My Indy (Indygo Shiner) who won this race and the second leg last year at Nad Al Sheba. He's got Dubai form and there aren't many question marks over top of him. He is unraced since his fifth place showing in the Dubai World Cup, which was won by several lengths by Well Armed. He is a solid-looking runner and has form and success in the area, I'm just interested to see how he does on tapeta. Another Saeed Bin Suroor charge, Midshipman (Unbridled's Song), is the colt who blew my late pick 4 in the Breeders Cup by finishing 3rd to long-shot Furthest Land in the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. He hadn't steered me wrong previously in the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 2008 and a solid allowance victory at Belmont. He knows how to handle synthetics and if he gets the right trip, he should be able to start paying me back today. The other runner that I think is especially dangerous is 7 year-old Brazilian runner Gloria De Campeao (Impression). He's been all over the place, and finished a disappointing 7th out of 8 to Gio Ponti in the Arlington Million, this came off a solid victory in the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji racecourse in Singapore. He topped Previs that time out and that's a solid reference in my opinion. Another great run of his was his 2nd place finish to Well Armed in last year's Dubai World Cup. He didn't have a shot at the win, but certainly held on well towards the end. He knows how to win in Dubai, but he is primarily a dirt horse and has also been beaten twice by my main pick My Indy. I think Gloria De Campeao is a solid contender and could capitalize with a poorly run race from one of the other two. 
I'm selecting My Indy at the top of my key with Midshipman and Gloria De Campeao. I will also be backing Midshipman each-way out of spite.