15:45 Meydan

Sunday 15 January 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Race 4 - Handicap - Turf

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 2m 1.76s

(6)

Withering²⁹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: A de Vries| T: F Nass

9/2

22/1, below form 17¾ lengths tenth of 16 to Crown Pride in UAE Derby at Meydan (9.4f). Off 9 months. Makes handicap debut back on turf. Others have achieved more.

Form: 22/3120-

(5)

Recordman^b³²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: C Planas| T: B Seemar| CD

20/1

C&D winner. Blinkered for 1st time, bit below form sixth of 13 in handicap at this C&D (good, 20/1). Off 10 months. Others more persuasive.

Form: 62/3906-

(2)

Mordin^b²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: M Barzalona| T: S Ghadayer| D

9/1

Latest win at Abu Dhabi in November. 6½ lengths fifth of 7 to Wickywickywheels in listed race at Abu Dhabi (10.9f, good) 24 days ago. May need a few to falter.

Form: 900615-

(4)

Celestial Spheres^p²³

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Q Al Busaidi| T: I Mohammed & J Santos| D

14/1

Two wins from 3 runs last year. 4½ lengths eighth of 10 to Al Nayyir in handicap (14/1) at this course (12f, good) 23 days ago.

Form: 842/118-

(1)

First Winter³⁰²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: A Fresu| T: Ahmad Bin Harmash| D

7/1

Respectable third of 13 in handicap at Jebel Ali (9.7f, 4/1). Off 10 months.

Form: 308/223-

(3)

Al Nayyir²³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: P J Dobbs| T: D Watson| C| D

11/8

Two wins from 5 runs last year. Career best when winning 10-runner handicap (7/2) at this course (12f, good) 23 days ago by neck from Bosphorus, finishing strongly. Shortlist material.

Form: 7/47131-

(9)

Bosphorus^b²³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: T P O'Shea| T: B Seemar| C

11/2

Course winner. 28/1, good neck second of 10 to Al Nayyir in handicap at this course (12f, good) 23 days ago, just failing. Not taken lightly.

Form: 130592-

(7)

Light Beam^b⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Saif Al Balushi| T: Ahmad Bin Harmash| C

14/1

Course winner. 20/1, respectable third of 16 in handicap at this course (9.4f, good) 7 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 01086-3

Non-Runners

(8)

Influencer²³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 7

T: Ahmad Bin Harmash J: R Dawson

Forecasts

Al Nayyir (11/8), Withering (9/2), Bosphorus (11/2), First Winter (7/1), Influencer (7/1), Mordin (9/1), Celestial Spheres (14/1), Light Beam (14/1), Recordman (20/1)

AL NAYYIR can confirm the form of his narrow win last month but will have no margin for error. Bosphorus may have to play second fiddle once more, while Influencer could step up again and is taken to see out the 1-2-3.