Dubai: A New Chapter for True Story?

The star of last Thursday's Dubai Carnival opener was Godolphin's True Story, who manhandled his opposition in the Singspiel at about nine furlongs on turf:

With the Singspiel being his first start as a gelding, it would be easy to view his performance as a reformed character turning over a new leaf. But that interpretation could be a bit hasty.

After all, True Story began his 2014 campaign in a similarly dominating vein, trouncing fellow sophomores by seven lengths in the Feilden at Newmarket -- interestingly, also at nine furlongs. The Saeed bin Suroor trainee looked like The Next Big Thing. Accordingly sent off as the odds-on favorite next time in the Dante Stakes, he wound up a mildly inconvenienced third to The Grey Gatsby. True Story went on to finish seventh in the Derby at Epsom. The son of Manduro then tried his elders in the Eclipse (fifth sporting a first-time visor), Rose of Lancaster (third) and Winter Hill (fine second to Al Kazeem).

As that resume implies, True Story brought a high level of European form into this Dubai debut. He won as handsomely as he was entitled to, and that leaves open the question of his possible improvement as a gelding. We'll know more as he faces sterner tests of class.

Crest of a wave: Surfer has reveled in Meydan's switch to dirt. A bridesmaid in a trio of major events on the Tapeta in past Carnivals, the Satish Seemar charge is now two-for-two on the new track, capturing the December 18 Dubai Creek Mile and last Thursday's Maktoum Challenge Round 1.

Admittedly, Surfer has capitalized on perfect, ground-saving trips in the slipstream of the leaders before punching home. And in Round 1, he didn't appear to be traveling as sweetly as Frankyfourfingers, who accosted him in the stretch and threatened an upset. But Surfer responded generously to pull 2 1/4 lengths clear.