ITV announces new schedule after Musselburgh cancelled; Nashwa a big market mover on star-studded Meydan card

Nashwa has been a significant mover to land more Group 1 glory in the Dubai Turf (3.10) at the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the five-year-old is a three-time winner at the highest level and bids for another lucrative victory in the 1m1f contest, in which star Japanese stars Do Deuce and Danon Beluga are among her rivals.

However, she has been the subject of strong support this morning and has been backed into 7-1, having earlier been 10-1. She is set to be partnered by her regular jockey Hollie Doyle.

Nashwa bids to give the Gosden team their fourth success in a row in the Dubai Turf, while they will also be represented by Lord North. The star eight-year-old has won the last three editions of the race, including when dead-heating in 2022, and bids for a historic four-timer.

In the Dubai World Cup itself (4.35), Derma Sotogake has overtaken fellow Japanese raider Ushba Tesoro as favourite. The four-year-old landed the UAE Derby on the card last year and is the 3-1 market leader.

Ushba Tesoro, a fine winner of the World Cup 12 months ago, had been the 11-4 favourite but has drifted out to 7-2. He was last seen when beaten a head by Senor Buscador in the Saudi Cup last month, with Derma Sotogake back in fifth that day.

Derby hero Auguste Rodin is a solid 15-8 favourite to record a sixth Group 1 success when he tackles Japanese sensation Liberty Island (3-10 nad Emily Upjohn (6-1) in the Sheema Classic (4.00)

Market movers

Meydan
3.10: 16. Nashwa 7-1 (from 10)
4.35: 11. Ushba Tesoro 7-2 (from 11-4)

The Dubai Turf and World Cup will not be shown on ITV (it will be broadcast on Racing TV), but the channel is now set to show two races from Meydan as well as one each from Cork and Carlisle as part of its rejigged afternoon coverage.

ITV Racing revealed its new Saturday schedule after a "hugely disappointed" Musselburgh was forced to cancel its Queen's Cup meeting, with the track waterlogged in places.

The show, which will be broadcast on the main channel, has added the UAE Derby and Group 1 Golden Shaheen to its schedule, as well as the Listed Cork Stakes and Carlisle's 2m4f handicap chase in addition to the three already scheduled Haydock races

ITV Racing's updated Saturday schedule

1.50 Meydan: UAE Derby (Group 2)
2.05 Haydock: My Pension Expert Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle
2.25 Meydan: Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel (Group 1)
2.40 Haydock: New Racing TV App Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle
3.15 Haydock: Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Handicap Chase Finale
3.30 Cork: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cork Stakes (Listed)
3.40 Carlisle: Happy 40th Birthday Karen Waggott Handicap Chase 

Musselburgh's eight-race fixture was one of two Premier meetings in Britain on Saturday, but unexpected rain of over 3mm left areas of unraceable ground in the back straight.

Speaking on Saturday morning, Musselburgh's general manager Bill Farnsworth said: "We got 15mm of rain in the early hours of Good Friday, which was mostly not forecast, and the track mainly took it well. However, we knew we couldn't take much more rain.

"When I left last night the track was okay, but coming in this morning there were big puddles all over the place. The course had been taking it well and parts of the track are fine, but sadly areas of the back straight are just so saturated and not fit for racing."

Musselburgh's first Flat meeting of the year was due to take centre stage on ITV Racing's coverage and was the headline act in Britain today. The fixture was also set to feature the Scottish Sprint Cup.

Farnsworth added: "We had everything set up and ready. It's hugely disappointing and very frustrating, especially as it's now blue skies and couldn't be a more beautiful day, but we had to take a view.

"We looked at moving running rails but that was going on to ground we raced on in February over jumps and also didn't take the rain well. It's just so wet and any rain we took made a huge difference."

The track reverts back to jumping for its next fixture on Friday evening, when it stages the first day of the Racing Post Go North weekend. Farnsworth is hopeful that the meeting will be able to be staged.

"We'd be fine for jumps racing at this stage today, but it's just the back straight on the Flat where the ground is just far too saturated," he said. "It's the first time I've known us having to cancel for rain on the Flat course as it usually takes it very well, but it's been so wet."

The going at Haydock is soft, heavy in places on the chase course and soft, good to soft in places on the hurdles track. 

Read more. . .

'This could have been the long-term plan' - Paul Kealy bids to follow up a 10-1 winner on Friday with his Saturday selections 

Meydan Placepot tips: Shane Ketteridge's perm for the Dubai World Cup card 

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