Meydan betting tips: Man On The Spot preview, verdicts & Nap selection

Meydan Preview

Master Of The Seas limbers up for a potential tilt at the 2000 Guineas in the Meydan Classic in Dubai on Thursday.

The son of Dubawi looked a top-class colt in the making after winning on his first two career starts at Newmarket last summer, including a Group Two success in the Superlative Stakes in July.

Charlie Appleby’s charge, who was last seen finishing a close-up fourth in the National Stakes at the Curragh in September, is a best-priced 16-1 for the first British Classic of the year at Newmarket in May ahead of facing five rivals at Listed level at Meydan.

“Master Of The Seas is well clear on ratings and we know that he is the class horse in the race,” Appleby told www.godolphin.com.

“Any sign of last year’s performances is going to make him very hard to beat, although this is very much a prep race ahead of his European campaign.

“We were tip-toeing away with him and he was doing everything nicely at home, so I felt that I would rather give him a run at Meydan.

“We are looking at the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Hopefully he can get a nice run under his belt before heading back to Europe.”

Master Of The Seas is joined by stablemate Naval Crown, who finished third in the UAE 2000 Guineas three weeks ago.

Appleby added: “Naval Crown has race fitness behind him, having produced a creditable performance in the UAE 2000 Guineas.

“Reverting back to the turf is going to be more to his liking and, if Master Of The Seas doesn’t run up to form, Naval Crown is a horse who could pick up the pieces.”

Mayehaab, Sharp Spun, Yurman and Nibras Passion are the other hopefuls.

Appleby also saddles strong contenders in the two Group Threes on the card.

In the Nad Al Sheba Trophy, the Moulton Paddocks handler runs Ispolini, who needs to raise his game following a couple of below-par efforts so far this year.

“Ispolini has just been struggling to find his form lately – but he is a past winner of this race and any rekindling of that old form is going to put him bang there,” said Appleby.

Ispolini is one of four Godolphin representatives in the one-mile-six-furlong contest along with Saeed bin Suroor’s trio of Global Heat, Volcanic Sky and Brilliant Light.

Volcanic Sky, Global Heat and Ispolini finished second, third and fourth respectively behind the Bin Suroor-trained Dubai Future in the Meydan Cup earlier in the month.

Appleby’s Star Safari will be a hot favourite for the Dubai Millennium Stakes off the back of a course-and-distance win a fortnight ago, with Bin Suroor fielding Bedouin’s Story, Dream Castle and Royal Marine.

“Coming back in trip doesn’t concern us with Star Safari as he broke the track record for this distance at the Carnival last year,” said Appleby.

“He came out of his recent handicap win in good form and we are hoping that he can run a big race in this company.”

Meydan betting tips

3.05 - Click here for FREE video form and full racecard

Dubai Mirage was mugged on the line by stable companion Bedouin's Story, ridden by Frankie, who is now on the runner-up. He was drawn on the wide outside that day but has stall 1 here and will be fancied to go one better. Majestic Mambo, who wasn't suited by the slow pace, was well beaten but can do much better than that. YA HAYATI created a surprise when beating Bright Melody in a Listed contest over the track and trip and a 5lb rise may not be enough to prevent a follow-up despite the runner-up having a 3lb pull. Recordman's victory last month was on Dirt but Prompting, who completed a hat-trick for David O'Meara last summer, ran well here after a long break a fortnight ago.

3.40 - Click here for FREE video form and full racecard

MASTER OF THE SEAS is 8lb clear of stable companion Naval Crown on official ratings. Charlie Appleby's charge easily won the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on just his second start last summer and ended the campaign with a close fourth in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh, a race that worked out brilliantly. His stablemate has a fitness advantage having finished third in the UAE 2000 Guineas on Dirt three weeks ago though the York maiden winner doesn't have the scope of the selection. Mayehaab made a successful debut in a 7f maiden a fortnight ago when Yurman stayed on very strongly into second.

4.15 - Click here for FREE video form and full racecard

ISPOLINI (NAP) won this in 2019 after landing a handicap a month earlier. He ran in the same handicap three weeks ago but never got into it after being held up off a slow gallop. William Buick will ensure a strong pace here and he can reverse form with Volcanic Sky and Global Heat, who finished in front of him. Away He Goes has never raced over a trip this far but was staying on very strongly over 1m4f a fortnight ago, when Brilliant Light weakened in the closing stages, so is greatly respected.

4.50 - Click here for FREE video form and full racecard

Frankie brought Bedouin's Story with a late burst to land a handicap over a mile and though his mount couldn't produce a repeat in a Group 2 last week it was still a very good run and he should stay the extra. Dream Castle, who won the Group 1 Jebel Hatta in 2019 and was in excellent form last winter, was staying on nicely on his return to action in a Group 2 but finished last a fortnight ago though that wasn't his form. STAR SAFARI hasn't had much racing for his age and landed a strong handicap on his only start here a year ago. He reappeared with a very good run in a Listed contest, with Royal Marine behind, then stepped up to 1m4f to land a handicap a couple of weeks ago and can go in again.

5.25 - Click here for FREE video form and full racecard

Wasim landed a non-Carnival handicap over the track and trip last month and is 5lb higher though has the inside berth. Well Of Wisdom has won first-time-out in two of his three seasons and won a Listed contest at Deauville last summer though isn't well drawn. Could Be King ran well behind Lord Glitters in a Grade 2 then found 6f too short so has to be respected. while Fleeting Prince will also have found that trip too sharp on his debut here three weeks ago and did well to get so close. Light And Dark hasn't had much racing and is up 5lb for landing a Class 3 handicap at Kempton in October but the vote in an open race goes to MUTAMAASIK, four-times a winner for Roger Varian, who led for a long way on his debut over a mile here a month ago.

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