Secret Brief and Silent Attack headline Thursday’s Carnival team

Heritage handicap scorer Secret Brief and Turkish G2 runner-up Silent Attack feature among the six Godolphin runners during this week’s Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, January 12.
 
Both horses line up in the 16-runner Mina Rashid Handicap (20.50hrs local time) over a mile on turf, with last year’s Lincoln winner Secret Brief (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) making his first appearance since coming home 10th in another valuable handicap at Sandown Park, UK, in July.
 
Charlie Appleby commented: “I have been delighted with Secret Brief’s preparation for this year’s Carnival.
 
“He hasn’t got the best draw in stall 15 but his running style is to come late anyway, so it is not too bad. If he brings his A game, he will be there at the finish.”
 
Silent Attack (Saeed bin Suroor/Pat Cosgrave), drawn in stall eight, drops down in class and trip after finishing sixth on his return in the Listed Singspiel Stakes over a furlong further at Meydan on January 5.
 
Saeed bin Suroor reported: “Silent Attack came out of his first run of the season really well and we wanted to try him over back over a mile again.
 
“He looks to be in good form and has been going nicely at home.”
 
Steady Pace (Saeed bin Suroor/Christophe Soumillon) was placed at G1 level as a juvenile in 2015 and the four-year-old makes his handicap debut from stall eight in the six-furlong Jebel Ali Port Handicap (22.00hrs & 16 runners) on turf.
 
Six-year-old Red Galileo (Saeed bin Suroor/Christophe Soumillon), fifth in the 2014 G1 Investec Derby and last seen out in October, 2015, has his first start for Godolphin in the seven-runner Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal Handicap (19.05hrs) over a mile and three quarters on turf.
 
Saeed bin Suroor is doubly represented in the closing 10-furlong Mina Rashid Marina Handicap (22.35hrs & 13 runners) with G3 Lexus Stakes fourth Elhaame (Adrie De Vries) and German G3 second Kerosin (Colm O’Donoghue), both of whom are returning from significant absences in the turf contest.
 
Saeed bin Suroor added: “Steady Pace has been showing plenty of pace in his work and six furlongs should suit him.
 
“Red Galileo doesn’t show a great deal in the mornings but 14 furlongs looks to be a good trip for him.
 
“Elhaame has demonstrated a decent level of form in the past and is in good order, while Kerosin has also been going well at home.”