Race 8 – GROUP 1 DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC (2400m, Turf)

This is a race which will depend largely on tactics.

There will be a riot if Japan Cup winner GENTILDONNA doesn’t come out and win here, with the large press contingent in Dubai (they have more journalists and photographers here than every other country combined). Luckily for racegoers at Meydan, I think she should just win. She’s versatile, she should be able to position herself nicely up on speed or just off the pace. She has a good turn of foot when called upon and although this is her first run out of Japan, the form has stacked up worldwide. Exciting mare.

ST NICHOLAS ABBEY finished second to the very classy Cirrus des Aigles last year, when I was quite confident he could succeed. He looked the best of Aidan O’Brien’s contingent when they stepped out yesterday morning, and having been here before, he should handle the atmosphere like an old stager. I do think he may be a shadow of the horse he once was, but even if he only has 90% of the ability, he still figures strongly in calculations.

DUNADEN is a classy galloper but he needs a stiff tempo to have any chance of figuring in the finish. He’s unlikely to get that here. If they go as slow as some have anticipated, he’ll have no chance. I would love to see a Caulfield Cup winner come out and win this race, but he needs everything to go his way. You’ll know halfway through the race whether he has any chance at all.

Next best is AWAIT THE DAWN, who I thought was entitled to run better last time out but is incredibly talented on his day.

8 – GENTILDONNA
6 – ST NICHOLAS ABBEY
10 – DUNADEN
11 – AWAIT THE DAWN

Written by Andrew Hawkins – Get the latest Dubai World Cup updates by following him on twitter: @AndrewNJHawkins