Promising Run, Heavy Metal lead the charge

dubai — Saturday’s seven-race card is the latter half of a 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival double header this weekend at Meydan Racecourse, highlighted by the Balanchine (G2) and Firebreak Stakes (G3). Each race is worth $200,000 and respectively could have Dubai World Cup night implications.

Restricted to fillies and mares and on turf, the 1800m Balanchine, sponsored by Azizi Developments, has attracted a field of eight, six of whom contested the 1600m Group 2 Cape Verdi three weeks ago.

That was won in style by Godolphin’s Promising Run (post 6, Patrick Cosgrave), a fifth winner in the first of the carnival’s two fillies and mares’ contests for Saeed bin Suroor. The trainer has won the Balanchine three times and twice with runners who had previously landed the Cape Verdi.

A 5-year-old, Promising Run also won the Al Rashidiya (G2) last year, over Saturday’s 1800m course and distance and is also a Group race winner in both England and Turkey. She will have to overcome a penalty here, but looks the one to beat under Pat Cosgrave.

From England, Opal Tiara (post 2, Silvestre De Sousa) won the Balanchine last year for Mick Channon and will bid to become the first dual winner of the race. Second in the 2017 Cape Verdi, she was fourth in this year’s renewal, having already filled the same position behind another Godolphin horse Benbatl, in the Singspiel Stakes (G3) over this 1800m course and distance. Silvestre de Sousa has ridden her in both starts this season and maintains the partnership.

Third in the Cape Verdi was Aljuljalah (post 8, Mickael Barzalona), staying on well and pleasing trainer Salem bin Ghadayer in the process.