Which star horses, trainers and jockeys should you follow at Meydan this winter? Ron Wood's Dubai Carnival punting pointers

The Dubai programme has been revamped this season, with all meetings at Meydan now coming under the carnival banner, and they have been racing since November.

It was a bit of a slow burner, with the first few fixtures being staged exclusively on dirt. However, the action ramped up a gear just before Christmas when the inaugural 'Festive Friday' card saw the return of racing on turf and featured a couple of Group contests across the two surfaces.

Another new highlight of the Meydan calendar is 'Fashion Friday' on January 26, featuring seven thoroughbred Group races including two top-level contests.

There's also the more familiar 'Super Saturday' on March 2 and it all culminates with the Dubai World Cup card on March 30, making for 15 fixtures in total.

The story so far – jockeys and trainers

Bhupat Seemar and Michael Costa have been the main trainers to follow on the dirt this season.

Seemar's Zabeel Stables has sent out 13 winners across all UAE tracks and lead the way at Meydan with nine victories, with most of them ridden by champion jockey Tadhg O'Shea.

Costa heads the overall UAE trainers' championship from his base at Jebel Ali Stables. He has already had 22 winners at a staggering 30 per cent strike-rate.

Most of Costa's winners have come at his local track but he's also had five in front at Meydan and still has plenty of ammunition. Ben Coen is stable jockey.

Reigning champion trainer Doug Watson has made a slow start, sending out just two winners at Meydan, but both came in good races.

The first four turf races of the Meydan campaign were shared between international raiders, including Kevin Philippart de Foy taking a Listed prize with Vafortino, while Charlie Appleby and William Buick teamed up for a double.

Antonio Fresu is based in California these days, but was over for 'Festive Friday' and justified the trip with a win on Ponntos in the opening turf race.

Connor Beasley, first jockey for Ahmad bin Harmash, is having a terrific season and leads the overall jockeys' championship.

Horses in focus

Al Nefud
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar, Racing Post Rating: 115

Coasted to victory in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on his return from an absence in November, looking at least as good as ever. However, he has evidently been fragile and wasn't among the runners for the following month's Al Maktoum Mile. Maybe they are keeping him fresh for bigger targets.

Colour Up
T: Doug Watson, RPR: 103

Did not have to be at his best (has a peak RPR of 106) to win the 6f Al Garhoud Sprint on his return in December, but he travelled easily while giving ground away out wide and his stable had been quiet, so he should rate higher again.

Isolate
T: Doug Watson, RPR: 115

Florida-based jockey Tyler Gaffalione took a long flight to maintain his partnership with last season's Godolphin Mile winner and the horse dominated December's Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile. Isolate might have looked a steering job, but he is a big horse who takes some organising out of the gates and Gaffalione was aggressive early to ensure a smooth passage. Isolate may now go for the Saudi Cup.

Measured Time (right) is a horse of interest for the CarnivalCredit: Mark Cranham

Measured Time
T: Charlie Appleby, RPR: 115

Won the Group 2 Al Rashidiya despite failing to settle. This well-bred colt – he is a Frankel half-brother to the same connections' Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance – will be nearing Group 1 standard if he matures the right way.

Morning
T: Bhupat Seemar, RPR: 101

Did well to win a 6f handicap last month considering he was completely disorganised out of the gates and raced out the back and wide, putting in a strong finish to run down two horses who dominated the rest of the field.

Classic crop

El Nasseeb
T: Musabbeh Al Mheiri, RPR: 99

Four horses among the Classic generation are already hovering around the 100 mark on Racing Post Ratings, which is surprising. However there is substance to the performances, including El Nasseeb's maiden win at the start of the carnival. This horse was a cheap buy at the Dubai Breeze-Up in March, has a turf pedigree and reportedly had not been showing much in the mornings, but he won by more than seven lengths in a fast time and the form has been franked. It is disconcerting, however, that he is not in the UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial.

Killer Collect
T: Bhupat Seemar, RPR: 101

A distant third behind El Nasseeb on debut, but he won a conditions event by seven and a half lengths next time. The sixth horse, beaten 17 lengths, subsequently won at Jebel Ali.

Manama Gold T: Fawzi Nass, RPR: 99

Ran green but still won a conditions race on her debut, immediately assuming position at the head of the fillies' dirt division. Sadly, there is no UAE 1,000 Guineas on the dirt anymore – instead there's now a turf equivalent on Super Saturday – but there is a conditions race she could be aimed at on January 19.

Ma Yetal
T: Michael Costa, RPR: 102

Tops the Classic crop on RPRs at this stage thanks to a stunning display in a 6f Jebel Ali conditions race last month. He won by 13 and three quarter lengths while going faster than two useful older horses on the same card. His trainer said afterwards he felt the horse was only about 80 per cent wound up and that he should Meydan better than Jebel Ali.

The Weekend Starts Here:

1.55 Musselburgh: 'As long as the ground isn't too soft, I'd say he has a great chance' - can Lihyan follow up?    

5.00 Meydan: Can Godolphin star Real World bounce back to his best and win another Zabeel Mile?   

The Weekend Starts Here: Chris Cook's three things to look out for on Friday  

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