Meydan Best Bets: Walking on sunshine

Walking Thunder – Meydan 14:05

Walking Thunder can be forgiven his last run and could be hard to peg back under Frankie Dettori if breaking quickly from stall 1. Divine Image has won her last 2 starts over C&D, including the UAE Oaks, and should be on the premises. Jahbath, Golden Jaguar and Stubbins are all of interest in the fight for the minor placings in an interesting renewal of the UAE Derby.

X Y Jet – Meydan 14:40

X Y Jet has suffered a brace of agonising defeats in this race, but with Roy H now out of the race, this looks a good chance for him to gain a deserved success. Imperial Hint has now inherited the inside position and is a big threat if back to the sort of form that saw cruise home in a pair of US Grade 1s last year, with Promises Fulfilled completing the shortlist for a powerful American contingent.

Old Persian – Meydan 16:00

Old Persian made good strides forward in 2018, his best performance coming when landing the Great Voltigeur at York in August. He did well to make a winning return over C&D 3 weeks ago, showing an impressive turn of foot to get himself out of trouble (worth several lengths more than the bare result) and he gets the nod to make the breakthrough at Group 1 level. High-class Japanese raider Rey De Oro is feared most, ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s 4-y-o filly Magic Wand, who was a respectable second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream last time.