At The Races

Unsurprisingly, Godolphin are well represented on the opening race of the Carnival and this could go to SARRSAR. Saeed bin Suroor's gelding won with real authority at the Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot and wasn't far away at Nottingham in November. Frankie Dettori has opted to ride Capponi, who hasn't been seen since last March and may just need this outings, while the other Mahmood Al Zarooni runner, Modern History, was a Listed winner at Toulouse when trained by Andre Fabre. At the bottom end of the handicap, Secretive comes into this on the back of a narrow success at Jebel Ali and has the edge in terms of fitness.

• Top Tip: SARRSAR (4)
• Watch out for: CAPPONI (1)

HONOUR SYSTEM has raced just once since winning a handicap here in March and though he was well beaten on that occasion, the drop back into handicap company could prove decisive. Ahlaain was disappointing here last time but a return to the form of his second in November could put him in the firing line, while Falcativ and We'll Come are classy sorts on their day, but both have plenty to prove following poor recent results. Michael Attwater obtained Lyssio from Peter Schiergen's powerful German yard and was not that far away on his sole start for the Epsom handler in Listed company at Lingfield.

• Top Tip: HONOUR SYSTEM (1)
• Watch out for: LYSSIO (6)

MUTAYASER could land the spoils here. Second to subsequent St Leger hero Masked Marvel on his second start, he showed only glimpses of that in two more starts for Sir Michael Stoute last year, but it is far too soon to be writing him off. Paschendale has a decent enough record after a break to suggest he can mount a challenge, while Uptown Guy was a shade disappointing at Epsom on his final start for William Haggas but a more conventional track may suit him better here.

• Top Tip: MUTAYASER (5)
• Watch out for: PASCHENDALE (1)

A highly competitive contest which could go the way of Irish raider NOCTURNAL AFFAIR. David Marnane's charge won the Portland at Doncaster in September and after a decent run at York, he struck on an artificial surface when taking a Listed race at Dundalk. He could just have the edge over Russian Rock, a decent handicapper in Britain who has taken to the Dubaian heat well, winning with ease here last month. Internationaldebut ran up a hat-trick in September and is Yorkshire handler Paul Midgeley's first representative on these shores.

• Top Tip: NOCTURNAL AFFAIR (6)
• Watch out for: RUSSIAN ROCK (7)

City Style caused a 33/1 shock over this C&D when last seen but this will be his first run for a year, while Frankie Dettori has opted to ride Start Right instead, and the former Luca Cumani-trained gelding looked in good heart when second in a hot race at Sandown in the summer. Tamaathul has the advantage of a recent run having finished second over C&D last month, but he was behind CANWINN on that occasion and Dhruba Selvaratnam's charge can confirm that form. The Refuse To Bend gelding has been in sparkling form this winter, making it two wins on the bounce when beating Tamaathul, and this looks another winnable opportunity. Mike De Kock's runners always merit close scrutiny so the fact Anaerobio has been off for so long should not rule out the Argentinian Group 1 winner.

• Top Tip: CANWINN (2)
• Watch out for: ANAEROBIO (3)

A Group 2 winner here last season, Derbaas has every chance but does tend to need a run to hit top form, and that tilts the balance in favour of MAHBOOBA. Mike De Kock's filly placed in all four starts at this track last season, winning once, and she gets plenty of weight from her rivals here. Sea Lord's Group 3 win is becoming a distant memory and recent form is nowhere near that standard, while St Moritz went from strength to strength last summer but he will need to have improved again to land this.

• Top Tip: MAHBOOBA (10)
• Watch out for: DERBAAS (2)

Hunting Tower's latest success at this track came over half a miles further, so he may be using this as a sharpener before stepping back up in trip, while Time Prisoner's Group 3 success came over a furlong shorter so he has to prove he's as effective over this trip. Yaa Wayl has form over this trip in the UK but was a long way behind Across The Rhine when last seen in Dubai and preference is for REGAL PARADE. Dandy Nicholls' veteran spent much of last year contesting Pattern races and though he's not won since landing the Prix Maurice De Gheest in 2010, a handicap test over this trip could prove just what he needs.

• Top Tip: REGAL PARADE (8)
• Watch out for: TIME PRISONER (2)