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From RXP.
THE 2009 Dubai International Racing Carnival is approaching the halfway mark and with Mike de Kock on record saying that his runners are ``turning the corner’’, one can expect the stable to have at least one winner at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse tomorrow night.
Looking at De Koc k’s comments for the meeting, that winner could well be SA’s 2008 Champion Sprinter JJ The Jet Plane, who will make his debut over 1100m on the dirt track at the UAE’s flagship racecourse.
Here is a summary of De Kock's views of his 10 Thursday contestants:
Race 1, 1300m (turf) - Indiscutible (Johnny Murtagh) and India Tiberina (Kevin Shea): We’re running out of options with this pair and all we can hope for is improvement. Can’t give much punters confidence here.
Race 2, 1100m (dirt) - JJ The Jet Plane (Shea): He is doing really well, he has lived up to expectations in work and if he acts on the Nad Al Sheba dirt track, I think he will win. He has won at the Vaal on sand, but Nad Al Sheba is a different kettle of fish altogether, which is a worry. Still, we believe he will be hard to beat.
Race 3, 1400m (dirt) - Warsaw (Murtagh) and Hamlool (Shea): Warsaw needed his last start, he will be suited to 1400m and he’s a fitter horse. Having won a good race for us on the all-weather track in the UK, he should like the sand here, he has a chance. Hamlool has his problems, but is working well and looking well, could run a place.
Race 4, 1600m (dirt) - Naples (Shea): He suffered some interference last time and came apart, running a moderate race. He is fitter and while he will have to improve several lengths to be a factor, we are expecting an improved performance.
Race 5, 2000m (dirt) - Mr Brock (Keagan Latham): He is back in the stable after a long spell in Mauritius and some time in France. Joined us halfway through January and has only had a few weeks work, so we’re under a bit of pressure with him. Hard to predict how he will go.
Race 6, 2000m (dirt) - Art Of War (Johnny Murtagh): Art Of War should be at peak fitness now, he ran a top race last week and took it well. I see no problems with 2000m, he must have a good winning chance.
Race 7, 1600m (dirt) - Blues and Rock (Murtagh) and Rocks Off (Shea): Two very nice horses who I’d say have improved the number of lengths that they were beaten last time. But they’re up against the might of Godolphin in the expensive and well-performed Vineyard Haven, so all we can do is take our chances and hope to be competitive. I think they will be right there
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