After several weeks of local racing on Dirt, the Dubai Carnival gets under way with the first Turf race of the season. ERTIJAAL won this for the second time when shooting out of the stalls and making all for a comfortable victory a year ago before winning a Group 3 and finishing third in the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night. He's an outstanding sprinter who doesn't take a lot of getting ready and looks a class above. Line Of Reason did well to finish fifth a year ago with Sir Maximilian seventh though neither have been in the best of form in the UK but the former's stable companion Final Venture has been in good heart and won a Listed contest at Haydock in June. But he was beaten over two lengths by Encore d'Or in the Listed Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster and Robert Cowell's charge is better off at the weights, though isn't well drawn. Hit The Bid won a Curragh Listed contest in the summer and Yalta has run reasonably well on Dirt recently so should be fitter than most.
Ertijaal (IRE) 2-1fav (9-0) 3rd of 12, 1 1/4l behind The Right Man (9-0) at Meydan 6f Grp 1 Yielding in Mar.
Final Venture 25-1 (9-3) Slowly away, in rear, headway over 1f out, kept on towards finish, 3rd of 7, 1/4l behind Caspian Prince (9-7) at Newcastle 5f stks (2) pol in Jan.
Danzeno 5-1 (9-3) Dwelt towards rear, ridden and headway approaching final furlong, stayed on towards finish, 3rd of 14, 3l behind Dream Of Dreams (9-3) at Doncaster 6f lst stks (1) sft in Nov.
Hit The Bid 16-1 (10-2) Tracked leader, brought to stands' side in straight, headway to lead over 1f out, ridden and kept on inside final furlong, headed close home, 2nd of 13, nk behind Take Cover (10-2) at Dundalk 5f lst stks (1) pol in Oct.
Waady (IRE) 10-11fav (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden over 1f out, kept on towards finish, 3rd of 8, 1l behind Just Glamorous (9-0) at Ascot 5f lst stks (1) gs in Oct.
Encore d'Or 14-1 (9-1) Raced centre, held up, some headway towards far side of group over 1f out, no impression final furlong, 9th of 17, 5 1/4l behind Take Cover (9-1) at Newbury 5f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Sep.
Dutch Masterpiece (9-2) 4th of 16, 3 3/4l behind Izzthatright (9-2) at Doha 6f gf in Apr.
Jordan Sport 12-1 (9-0) Keen, led, ridden and headed inside final furlong, not pace of winner, weakened and lost 2 places towards finish, 4th of 9, 5 1/4l behind Jallota (9-0) at Redcar 7f lst stks (1) gs in Oct.
Line Of Reason (IRE) 25-1 (9-3) Held up towards rear, never a factor, last of 8, 4 3/4l behind Intisaab (9-3) at Wolverhampton 6f stks (2) pol in Dec.
Midlander (IRE) 33-1 (8-5) 5th of 9, 7l behind Drafted (9-0) at Meydan 6f hcp fst in Jan.
Portamento (IRE) (9-0) 8th of 11, 16 1/2l behind Muarrab (9-0) at Meydan 6f lst stks (1) fst in Dec.
Pupil (IRE) 14-1 (9-3) 7th of 16, 11 1/4l behind Farook (9-1) at Jebel Ali 6f hcp fst in Dec.
Sir Maximilian (IRE) 14-1 (9-7) In touch, ridden and no impression over 1f out, faded inside final furlong, 7th of 8, 4 1/4l behind Gracious John (9-5) at Lingfield 5f hcp (2) pol in Dec.
Speed Hawk (USA) 40-1 (9-0) 8th of 16, 8 1/4l behind Jungle Cat (9-0) at Meydan 6f stks gd in Mar.
Yalta (IRE) (9-0) 4th of 11, 6 3/4l behind Muarrab (9-0) at Meydan 6f lst stks (1) fst in Dec.
Yard Line (USA) (9-0) 9th of 16, 7 3/4l behind Shamaal Nibras (9-0) at Jebel Ali 7f stks fst in Mar.
Wonder Of Qatar (IRE) 80-1 (8-5) 9th of 14, 4l behind Speed Hawk (8-13) at Meydan 5f hcp gd in Feb.
High On Life 100-1 (9-6) 12th of 14, 11 1/2l behind Mind Your Biscuits (9-6) at Meydan 6f Grp 1 Slow in Mar.
Satwa Story (9-0) 10th of 11, dist behind Muarrab (9-0) at Meydan 6f lst stks (1) fst in Dec.
