Dubai World Cup Carnival commences at Meydan

The 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival gets underway at Meydan Thursday evening

with the first of 11 meetings, culminating in Dubai World Cup night on March 30.

There are seven races, highlighted by the opening rounds of the Group 2 Al

Maktoum Challenge over 1600 meters on the all-weather track.

Ten have been declared for the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 with Godolphin

doubly represented by Saeed bin Suroor saddling Out of Bounds and Mahmood Al

Zarooni relying on Fulbright.

"Out of Bounds was with Godolphin before and was a promising horse in America

who has been off just over a year now, but Fulbright is a new recruit,"

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said. "We are looking forward to

starting off Fulbright in what looks a competitive race and the Dubai World Cup

Carnival is always a very important part of our year."

Doug Watson trains Barbecue Eddie, twice a course and distance winner already

this season but stepping up in class.

"He has won well on both occasions and proved he stays 1600 meters well," the

American-born handler said. "This is obviously a lot tougher but we were ruled

out of the (Group 2) Godolphin Mile late on last year and that is his target

again this year.

"We will find out a lot on Thursday but we have a good draw and I am looking

forward to running him in this class."

The horse is owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum whose retained

jockey, Paul Hanagan has elected to ride Mufarrh for champion trainer Ali Rashid

All Raihe.

"We actually have three in the race but Mufarrh made a very pleasing comeback

when third having been off the track for over a year," Hanagan explained. "That

was a good run as was his previous one when second in the 2011 Godolphin Mile

and I expect a big run from him."

International flavor is added by English raider Fanunalter, trained by Marco

Botti, the Pat Shanahan-prepared Colliding Worlds from Ireland, and Bahrain's

Muraweg, who is conditioned by Fawzi Nass.

The main Thoroughbred support race is the 1800-meter Al Rashidiya Trial and

nine have been declared, including another Godolphin new recruit in the shape of

the Bin Suroor-trained Sharestan.

"Sharestan is also making his first start for us in the Al Rashidiya Trial

and he too has been going well at home," Crisford said.

Al Raihe's 2010 Group 1 Dubai Duty Free winner, Al Shemali looks a big

danger, along with Rerouted, trained by South African Mike De Kock, by far the

most successful international trainer in the history of the Carnival. However,

it may be that So Beautiful is a bigger danger for Watson, Hanagan and Sheikh

Hamdan.

"He is a really nice horse having his first start for us and we have been

looking forward to running him as he is an exciting prospect and a great

addition to our yard," Watson said.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com