Opinion Poll gets the vote in Gold Cup on Dubai Carnival card

Meydan hosts the final Carnival meeting of the season on Thursday and it offers a last chance for horses on the brink of a World Cup night run to sneak into the fields for 26 March. The most valuable race on the card is the $250,000 Group Two Zabeel Mile, which is a competitive, if not particularly high-quality, renewal. Several bring winning form into the race, with Navajo Chief, whose trainer, Alan Jarvis, won this in 2008 with Wise Dennis, fancied to go well again. However, preference is for Marco Botti's Fanualter (5.45) , who was an eye-catching second over nine furlongs last time and will be better suited returned to a mile. Perennial bridesmaid Kavango will also be suited by a drop in trip and can go close, as can Ed Dunlop's Fareer. A tough bunch of stayers line up in the Group Three DRC Gold Cup, over two miles, which has gone to Godolphin in both of its previous runnings. Last year's winner Sabotage is back again but has been overlooked by Frankie Dettori in favour of Whispering Gallery, who beat the reopposing Opinion Poll (4.30) by a neck over one mile four on his latest outing. Ahmed Ajtebi's mount, an unlucky second behind Claremont since, has a little more class than his stablemates and can reverse those placings this time. Mikhail Glinka, another proven over this trip, can also make the frame in an open contest. A seven-furlong conditions event for three-year-olds gets the meeting under way and it looks an open affair, with the highest-rated runner Paulinho not having lived up to expectations this season. Therefore it could go the way of course and distance winner Lord Of The Stars (2.35) if he can overcome a wide draw. The now Saudi Arabia-based filly Electric Waves is also respected after an excellent run last time over much further than this. Godolphin field a strong team throughout and they can take the 11-furlong Tapeta handicap with the progressive Emirates Champion (3.15) . Penalised six pounds for a comfortable course-and-distance success last time, he does not look badly treated and can get the better of the consistent Mr Brock, who is dropped in grade after an excellent run in Group Two company last week. Last year's Dubai Duty Free winner Al Shemali is the main draw in the 9½-furlong all-weather handicap, but has to concede weight to all ten rivals. Therefore preference for Mike De Kock's Grade One-winning filly Here To Win (5.05) , who has form over further than this and appears highly regarded by connections. Godolphin's Spring Of Fame and the ex-Mark Johnston-trained Capponi can chase her home. Laura King has been based in Dubai since 2005 and is a presenter and producer on the Dubai Racing Channel