This is the first thoroughbred race of the 2015 Dubai Carnival. Mike De Kock quickly got off the mark at the last fixture and has a trio of entries. El Estruendoso ran four times here last season and did well and he definitely needed his opening run behind today's rival BUSKER. Christophe Soumillon picks him over Mickdaam, who only ran twice last winter but did win a Listed contest here as a three-year-old before finishing fifth in Camelot's Derby. Almoonquith makes up the De Kock contingent and he scored on Turf here in February but the selection has the advantage of a recent run, as he had when scoring here a year ago, and could represent some value in a tricky opener. Dragon Falls ran very well when runner-up to Free Wheeling here in March and a run at Wolverhampton will have put him straight before being shipped out here. Henry Clay arrives in top form and is one of the few to have experience of the Dirt surface. Le Bernardin was behind the selection in a Listed contest here last month but Torchlighter completed a double for Mark Johnston in the summer, though never ran on an artificial surface.
Berling (IRE) 50-1 (9-3) Close up, ridden and weakened over 2f out, 10th of 13, 14l behind Berkshire (8-13) at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 (1) sft in Oct.
El Estruendoso (ARG) 17-2 (8-13) 6th of 14, 3 1/2l behind Vercingetorix (9-1) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 1f hcp gd in Feb.
Mickdaam (IRE) 11-4 (9-6) last of 6, 13l behind Samurai Sword (8-9) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 2f hcp in Mar.
Farrier (USA) (9-0) 3rd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Cooptado (9-0) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 2f 3yo Listed stks (1) in Dec.
Busker (USA) (9-3) 3rd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Surfer (9-0) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 3yo Listed stks (1) in Dec.
Dragon Falls (IRE) 17-2 (9-3) In touch, ridden 2f out, no impression, 6th of 7, 2 1/2l behind Complicit (8-13) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f stks (3yo+) (4) in Oct.
Henry Clay 3-1 (9-0) won at Meydan(UAE) 1m 2f hcp in Dec beating Tahaamah (8-11) by nk, 10 ran.
Le Bernardin (USA) (9-3) 4th of 9, 5l behind Surfer (9-0) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 3yo Listed stks (1) in Dec.
Quick Wit 25-1 (9-1) Raced far side held up, headway 2f out, ridden and kept on one pace final furlong, 8th of 31, 5l behind Bronze Angel (8-8) at Newmarket 1m 1f hcp (2) gf in Sep.
Torchlighter (IRE) 13-2 (8-12) Chased clear leader, progress 3f out, led entering final 2f, ridden clear final furlong, won at Newmarket 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2) gd in Jul beating Ventura Quest (8-5) by 5l, 7 ran.
Almoonqith (USA) 16-1 (8-5) 13th of 16, 10l behind Elleval (9-0) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 2f hcp in Feb.
I'm Back (IRE) 13-2 (9-7) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 1f out, led inside final furlong, headed near finish, 2nd of 12, 1/2l behind Tinghir (9-10) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-95 (3) in Oct.
