Declan Rix

Published 8.22 & 8.41 - all selections online

REDORANGE can hopefully get the day off to a good start in the opening Group 3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at (1.02), live on Sky Sports Racing.

The Clive Cox-trained sprinter is all about speed and may well get the setup he needs today to produce a career best effort. In what I’ve seen of the progressive four-year-old, he craves a strong pace to run at due to his keen nature, cover to help him relax, a flat track to proper utilise his pace along with good or faster ground.

Jockey Callum Rodriguez has a very important job at the gates in trying to get his mount to half miss the break in order to seek some early cover. With a forecast headwind today, this will be even more critical to his chance in a race the likes of Diligent Harry, Shagraan, Aspect Island and Miss Yechance hopefully all push forward early, insuring a sound gallop which can see the closers get a fair crack.

Starlust is the correct favourite granted his numerous big runs in top level sprints throughout his career, and we shouldn’t forget he is a Grade 1-winning sprinter himself, but he backs up within six days after a run in Ireland so I’m hoping the selection is a fresher horse.

Redorange needs to turn around 3 lengths deficit on their clash in the Nunthorpe 29 days ago, but should be able to get a lot closer today on a faster surface where the draw won’t be as important. At York, Redorange was also badly hampered when coming with a run and didn’t get a fair crack at things.

The son of Mehmas has progressed nicely again this season, but I still feel there is an even bigger performance in him granted his ideal circumstances, which he looks like getting today. 

Later on the Newbury card in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap (2.47), ALMEKAREM can hopefully take the step up in class in his stride after a hugely impressive victory at Doncaster last week.

The well-bred son of Kingman did incredibly well to win from miles off the pace eight days ago, showing progressive form, pace and stamina to pass 16 other horses on the way to victory under a welter burden of 10st 2lb.

Now, that was a class 4 handicap and today’s contest is a class 2, but a 5lb rise seems more than fair for beating an in-form Doncaster lover who had complete run of the race and was rated higher in the past in the Scott Dixon-trained Canvas.

Today will obviously demand more, but he should again get some pace to run at with the likes of the first-time blinkered Paddy The Squire pushing forward down in trip, along with habitual prominent-racer Stem and Balzac, who made the running last time out and has competed over further this season.

In a race where I see quite a few keen-going types who just lengthen under pressure as oppose to quicken, the pace and gears the selection showed at Doncaster could be a huge weapon with him set to carry just 8st 8lb today.

Out of an Oaks runner-up in Tarfasha who has produced two triple figure rated half siblings to Almekarem, it’s fair to say he is bred to be better than an 85-rated horse and his win at Doncaster suggested it too.

Trainer Sir Mark Prescott continues to have his string in good order currently and in today’s smaller field compared to last time out, Luke Morris shouldn’t get too far behind from a perfect draw in stall 5.