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Angus Mcnae

Captain’s Blog March 05

I am up early today prior to a busy day at Racing UK. I am once again helping with the coverage from Dubai which yesterday provided us with some fantastic Sport. Traditionally, Super Thursday provides us with plenty of clues for World Cup night. On this occasion I think three things spring to mind. Firstly, Mendip was impressive in the forst race for Godolphin and looks nailed on to run a big race in the UAE Derby. Being a son of Harlans Holiday with plenty of knee curl he may just be an interesting prospect for the Kentucky Derby as well. To be fair there is currently no outstanding propect in the States for the Run for the Roses and Mendip would be an intertesting runner. Secondly, the World Cup winner will come from outside the current crop of candidates in the UAE. The three rounds of the Maktoum Challenge has not revealed an outstanding player. Red desire won round 3 of the Challenge yesterday and she is a very good filly, but when the Americans come to town she may be put in her place quite readily. In short I have seen little at this years Carnival to sway me from my view that Gio Ponti will win the World Cup. The Breeders Cup runner up had a tune up the other day at Tampa Bay Downs and although he was narrowly beaten he remains firmly on course for the big race. Thirdly, Presvis will surely win the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night. He was runner up in the race to Gladiatorius last year and his win in the last race yesterday showed that he was in great heart. He did not just beat a field of old beaten up race weary UAE favourites either, he claimed the scalp of the Lockinge runner up Alexandros and did so comfortably. Ryan Moore gets a really good tune out of this horse and granted a faster pace in the big race on the 27th March he will take plenty of beating.

Those are just some random thoughts that come out of yesterdays fair. As for today, well Meydan moves into new territory with a fresh meeting which involves a Jockeys challenge where jockeys are alloted horses at random and will then accumulate points for their finishing positions. The event is only open to qualifying Jocks, in other words, those with a good record riding in Dubai. It should be a bit of fun and it will all be on Racing UK with myself and Ollie Bell. We will also be bringing you all the Racing from Newbury as well this afternoon.

Once my work is done I will be heading home to get a weekly fix of Rugby League on Sky Sports. Tonights game is between Wigan and Bradford. Wigan are unbeaten so far this year and to be honest Bradford have been struggling, but at least they have home advantage and that is usually worth 4-6 points, even with that sort of advantage I cannot see anything but a Wigan win.

Lies Lies and the Iraq inquiry. Yes we are in for more fun, games and fabrication as Gordon Brown goes before the panel today. As I type he must be punching his chair in anger that he is going to face four hours of questioning. Not to worry he can take comfort from the fact that he cannot sound more implausible than Blair and Campbell did, that is an impossibility.

Right I am off to work. Enjoy your day. 

  

Today’s Selections

2.35 Doncaster – Novikov 

6.45 Meydan – Rio De La Plata

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