O’Neill can get on scoreboard

Meydan racecourse stages their second meeting of the season, highlighted by a valuable 1600m rated race, Race 5.

Last year’s winning trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhi is two-handed with Direct Message, to be ridden by former champion Tadhg O’Shea, and Munaaser, owned and bred by Sheikh Hamdan. Dane O’Neill will be hoping Munaaser can put him on the scoresheet for the season, having endured a quiet start to his winter stint in the UAE.

The six-year-old, a winner on his Meydan debut in 2016, appreciated a drop in class when splitting Galvanize and Thegreatcollection on his seasonal debut this campaign, keeping on nicely in the closing stages. He should be sharper for the race and holds sound claims as he bids to snap his lengthy winless spell.

O’Shea’s mount, four lengths behind Munaaser, needsa to raise his game to turn the tables with his stable companion even on the revised terms. Lightly raced Cosmo Charlie, one of four runners representing Doug Watson, was one of the stars of the Classic generation last season, winning a Meydan maiden on his racecourse debut before taking the Listed Al Bastakiya, the middle leg of the Dubai Triple Crown.

He signed off with a disappointing effort in the UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night but can be forgiven that lacklustre run and is fancied to bounce back on his comeback under regular pilot Pat Dobbs. The opening race, a 1200m maiden is an interesting event that has attracted several wellbred types from top local yards. Former champion trainer Satish Seemar, who has made a poor start to the season by his standards, saddles an unraced pair in Tabir and Uncle Noble, with the former looking the main hope in the hands of stable jockey Richard Mullen.

By Congrats, he won a Meydan barrier trial earlier in the month and is fancied to put up a bold show. Watson, whose team are going nicely, has booked Dobbs to ride Skyrider, with Sam Hitchcott partnering unraced Jockey Joe, Watson’s second runner.

Skyrider showed promise on his recent racecourse debut here, finishing a creditable fourth when meeting minor interference after a tardy start. He is expected to have improved for the experience and makes plenty of appeal. The second maiden, over 1600m, is a competitive affair and the 80-rated Mazeed, formerly trained by Mike de Kock, sets the standard on his seasonal return for new trainer Seemar.

The son of Street Cry hasn’t finished out of the first three in three previous runs in maiden company on Meydan’s main track. This looks a good opportunity to open his account at the sixth time of asking. Street Of Dreams, representing Watson, went into many notebooks when chasing home well-regarded Rothenburg on his debut, sticking to his task very well and simply finding the winner too strong. He looks sure to go well with that experience under his belt.

Daffg, the sole juvenile in the line-up, caught the eye on debut earlier in the month and is one to consider for in-form trainer Ahmad bin Harmash. Well behind at halfway, he stormed home to finish third behind Circle Dream, beaten less than two lengths in a 1200m maiden. He’ll relish the step up to 1600m.