Meydan Tips - Dubai World Cup Carnival Week 7 Predictions on February 18th

Godolphin look to have this turf handicap sewn up and William Buick's mount, SILENT SPEECH has clearly got an outstanding chance off this opening handicap mark of 99.

Charlie Appleby's star comfortably beat Home City by two lengths over this course-and-distance when making his Meydan debut last July. Silent Speech was then narrowly beaten in the Al Wasl Stakes, losing by a short-head to another Godolphin filly who was getting five pounds at the weights. Buick's mount won on the back of a break last season and he can claim a second course victory on Friday.

I'll chance my arm with MOQTARREB, who comes into this handicap on the back of an excellent course-and-distance triumph two weeks ago.

Having broken well, Dane O'Neill pulled his mount back to a midfield position. Once the field turned for home, Moqtarreb made smooth progress into contention, swooping past Ouzo in the closing stages. The handicapper has only upped Moqtarreb's mount by four pounds for that cosy victory. There's every chance he could go in again.

Charlie Appleby will give both Siskany and Kemari their first starts of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday and both have to be respected. However, I'm going to place my faith in the Al Khail Trophy form from earlier in the meeting and back the third from that Listed contest, ARDAKAN.

Marko Botti's recruit was carrying a penalty that day and may have hit the front a little too soon, as Global Heat and Away He Goes passed him from well off the pace in the final furlong. I can't see any guaranteed front-runners in this field, which should set the race up for a speedier sort like Ardakan and Ben Coen's mount will be getting five pounds from the rest of the field.

Even under the burden of a seven-pound penalty, NATIONS PRIDE should take the world of beating in this Group Three and a shade of odds-on may even represent decent value. 

Charlie Appleby's star did his best work over this ten-furlong trip last season, bolting up in a Listed race at Newmarket before an easy Grade One triumph in the Saratoga Derby Invitational out in America. Nations Pride ran on well to finish fifth Breeders' Cup Turf when last seen, where a sluggish start didn't help his cause. The favourite should take plenty of beating.