UAE 1000 GUINEAS TIPS AND MEYDAN RACECOURSE PREVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 11

We've got two seriously solid looking races today at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai with the UAE 1000 Guineas and the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint. As it's early in the Dubai Carnival meet we also have the usual assortment of handicaps featuring a international array of high-quality colts and geldings. 
In the 5:10 we've got the 2010 UAE 1000 Guineas boasting a talented group of 15 going 1m2f over the Tapeta. The advantage of betting on some of these higher-profile races at this point in the meet is that most of the selections have already been out for a competitive spin over their preferred surface and you can get a better idea of how they handle things than you do on the few opening days. As usual, the Blue Team are sending out a fleet of talented runners with one of the highlights being the mysterious multiple Grade 1 winner Ishitaki (Interprete) who will team up with Frankie Dettori coming out of the fifth stall. He's among the top weights and has shipped in fresh off an emphatic victory in the Group 1 Gran Premio Jorge De Atucha at Palermo. Saeed Bin Suroor's charges have been putting some quality performances and I'm quite tempted at his exchange price that trades around 6.0. 
Raihana (Elusive Quality) is a 4 year-old bay fillie that just nailed a Guineas trial race two weeks ago with ease. The Mike De Kock-trained charge looks to be one of the improvers and trades at a slim price of 2.12 at the time of this writing. 
Undefeated Chilean acquisition Mensajera De La Luz (Election Day) is my other notable here, shipping in from Hipodromo with three on the bounce including multiple graded scores. The Barton-trained fillie is going to be taking on truly top-class runners here and is worth a look at 4.5. I think Ishitake is the value play at the moment with Raihana and Mensajera De La Luz looking like solid options for the exacta. 
In the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint I'm expecting an exciting 6f dash over the Tapeta with a couple of the stories of the Meydan meet so far featuring prominently. Sir Gerry (Carson City) scored on the opening day and then finished a disappointing 4th in handicap company to the talented Global City. The 5 year-old horse has placed at Graded level but will need the right trip to get the result against this talented field. He is trading at 8.5 or so on the exchanges. 
Gayego (Gilded Time) is the current betting favourite and trades around 2.5. He has scored over a variety of distances and hasn't raced since his 4th place finish to Dancing in Silks (Black Minnaloushe) in the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Sprint. He had two very forgettable runs in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, losing to Big Brown (Boundary) each time. He came second in the Godolphin Mile at Nad Al Sheba last year to Two Step Salsa with a solid performance. I think he's a real Swiss Army Knife of a horse and could win the day for the boys in Blue. 
I've also got my eye on Strike The Deal (Van Nistelrooy) and, despite him getting hooped in the Breeders Cup Sprint, coming dead-last out of 14 I am inspired by his victories at Newbury and Doncaster. He trades at 5.3 but I expect his price to rise before post. 
A Frankie Dettori double could be the way to go here on these two races. 
My other selections for the day include: 
The 2:30 Conditions Race: Fareej (King Mambo) - Frankie Dettori. Trading at 6.0
The 3:05 Handicap: Otaared (Storm Cat) - William Buick. Trading at 7.0
The 3:45 Handicap: Highland Glen (Montjeu) - Frankie Dettori. Trading at 4.5
The 4:20 Handicap: Lizard's Desire (Lizard Island) - Christophe Soumillon. Trading at 2.5
The 6:15 Handicap (Turf): Halicarnassus (Cape Cross) - Alan Munro. Trading at 5.0
The 6:50 Handicap (Turf): Golden Sword (High Chaparral) - Christophe Soumillon. Trading at 3.0