2026 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes Betting Tips
Constitution Hill is a real show stopper, with the legendary National Hunt horse having been switched to flat racing after struggling over obstacles. It's been a good start for the nine-year-old who claimed a success on the all-weather at Southwell in February. Sent off as the 6/4 favourite, the runner achieved a stupendous nine and a half length success.
There was a more recent run at Kempton Park where the Nicky Henderson-trained charge was able to score at short odds. Sent off as the 1/7 favourite, there was a two-length success in the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes. However, this is a sterner test for a runner who previously wowed the crowds during his National Hunt career.
Convergent is going to be difficult to beat. The four-year-old and we were taken by the runner's efforts at Longchamp in October. In the Prix du Conseil de Paris, the 22/5 shot was able to show some guts to get up on the line. A short neck success was achieved over a mile and three furlongs, although the horse fell short at Munich in the last effort.
Al Aasy is an older adversary who could still perform well at the age of nine. William Haggas saddles a horse who fell short on his last effort at Newbury. However, there was an early August success at Goodwood Racecourse and that came before a midfield finish at Leopardstown. The 5/4 favourite gave himself too much to do in the Group 3 CMG Group Stakes.
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Sunway was last seen running at Longchamp back in October. This came in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe where the four-year-old could only manage to finish tenth out of sixteen runners, although the horse had odds of 47/1. All things considered, it was a solid effort and came after finishing third out of seven runners in the St Leger at Doncaster.
Absurde is an interesting runner and the seven-year-old was a recent runner at the Cheltenham Festival last month. On that occasion, the 5/1 shot was able to finish third in the County Handicap Hurdle and will now get on the flat course at Newbury hoping to achieve a victory. The horse was a creditable fifth in the Melbourne Cup in November.
Ancient Wisdom and Arabian Crown are talented four-year-olds who are both trained by Charlie Appleby. The former was last seen running well in Munich when finishing third out of eleven runners. Previously to this, there was a success at Newmarket in July when obliging in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes and the horse has a strong chance here.
Arabian Crown can’t be discounted either. The horse was last seen running at Meydan when finishing fourth out of seven runners in the Dubai City of Gold. That came after winning a Classic Trial at Sandown Park, with a success at Newmarket coming before that. The win in the Zetland Stakes was really impressive and the horse has bold claims.
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Why is Hurricane Lane trading as the big favourite to win the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes? Although the horse only managed to finish eighth last time out, we should bear in mind that the Godolphin runner was competing in esteemed company at Saint-Cloud when finishing eleven lengths behind eventual winner Alpinista.
More was expected from this runner in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud who was sent off as the odds-on favourite, although the horse was better when finishing third in the Hardwicke Stakes and perhaps he will show his class to finish ahead of the other horses in the field, although Israr certainly looks to be an interesting contender.
Israr is a four-year-old who returns to the track for the first time since running at Doncaster Racecourse, with the horse sent off as the 5/2 favourite in the November Handicap on heavy ground. Over one mile and four furlongs, jockey Jim Crowley was able to get a tune out of the runner in the early stages although the horse had to settle for a midfield finish.
Mojo Star is an interesting five-year-old and this horse finished second in the Gold Cup at the 2022 Royal Ascot meeting, with the runner beaten by half a length by Kyprios on that occasion and that was over two miles and four furlongs. Perhaps the runner will benefit from a shorter trip this time around.