HEART ALONE HAS REAL CHANCE IN DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN

HEART ALONE (41) won a Group 3 sprint at Nad Al Sheba in seriously fast time on his first run outside Brazil. He beat Conroy, third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, by three and a half lengths into second and is now to be targeted at that big race himself.

Heart Alone won a Grade 1 race in his home country and ran fast enough here to establish himself as one of the prime contenders for the big sprint over the course and distance in March. Normally the Americans send over a couple of horses that are a step or two faster than Heart Alone for the Dubai Golden Shaheen but one has to wonder whether that's going to happen this year, given the current political situation. This being so, Heart Alone looks to have established himself in pole position for the big event with this run.

ENCINAS HAS IMPROVED

The valuable handicaps at Nad Al Sheba are all as strong as group races. And the one that ENCINAS (40) took last week was no exception. He beat a big, strong field in a time that would would win many Group 2 contests.

The question now is 'will Encinas hold his form?. On his racecourse debut in 2004 he beat the subsequent German Derby and Breeders' Cup Turf winner Shirocco into second place. Then he failed to win in three subsequent outings. On his seasonal debut in 2005 he won a class 1 handicap from Chiron who went on to win in Listed company next time out. Then he failed to win in four subsequent outings. Now he's gone and done this on his first start of 2006. If he holds his from he's got a real shot of at least placing in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Runner-up LORD ADMIRAL (40) looked a very useful horse before his departure from Ireland and confirmed that with good runs at Nad Al Sheba and Kranji last year. He too looks an interesting candidate for the Dubai Sheema Classic and will surely take something decent between now and that race.

WIN RIVER WIN HAS A SHOT IN THE GODOLPHIN MILE

The Dubai Carnival has attracted runners from a remarkable number of countries. So it's appropriate that one of the fastest performances we've seen has come from the Turkish horse WIN RIVER WIN (39) who won a valuable nine furlong handicap on the dirt from a big field.

Win River Win has now won 24 of his 46 starts and is only just shy of earning a million dollars. Not bad for a horse that only cost $10,000 at the Keeneland yearling sales back in 1999. He's described as a 'real dirt horse' by his trainer and is now to be aimed at the Godolphin Mile. He'll probably take in the second leg of the Maktoum Challenge on the way and looks a serious player in both races.

True, he is seven years of age, but judged on this run he's certainly capable of keeping up with the younger horses.

KING JOCK VERY SMART AT A SILLY DISTANCE

I've mentioned before that Solerina has an amazing record at distances longer than two miles and shorter than three. KING JOCK (41) carries things a step further. His specialist distance seems to lie in between seven and eight furlongs. He's run two times over seven and a half furlongs on the fast ground he needs and won big races both times. The latest was at the Dubai Carnival where he hammered a strong field by four lengths in very good group 2 class time.

King Jock has won on firm ground at a mile and split the very smart pair Trademark and Summoner when just losing a mile race on firm ground back in November. But it's this odd trip of seven and a half furlongs that seems to suit him ideally.