MIKE de Kock has revealed his 30-strong team of runners for the 2017 Dubai International Carnival, including several names from previous Carnivals and a number of new recruits from South Africa and elsewhere.

Heading the troops once more will be the now five-year-old Mubtaahij, presently on his way back to the UAE from the United States and set for a fresh onslaught on the Dubai World Cup.

Here is the list of names, with Mike’s comments on each runner.

ALAREEF (SAF)
“He has won two of nine starts on dirt in Dubai since joining the UAE yard in 2015. He’s a game earner and he is capable of winning another race outside of the Carnival this season.”

ANAEROBIO (ARG)
“Believe it or not, the now nine-year-old stalwart is back, he is looking good and still full of running. He’s won Carnival races for us in 2013, 2014 and even last year. He is sound, and who knows, he can earn again!”

BANAADEER (AUS)
“He’s had a patchy spell since coming to Dubai in 2015, but started to find his feet towards the end of last season and he’s better off for now being gelded. I think he’s a horse that can win a Carnival race in 2017.”

BAROOT (GB)
“ A consistent  son of Dubawi who has won two of six starts on dirt for us in Dubai. He’s only four, has more to come, he should win again this season, outside of the Carnival.”

Daqeeq, highly regarded. (JC Photos)

DAQEEQ (AUS)
“A three-year-old by Medaglia D’Oro, bought in Australia by Angus Gold and I for Sheikh Hamdan along with Muwaary and Suyoof.  He won on debut for us over 1200m in South Africa. He only arrived in the UK from Mauritius yesterday and will only get to Dubai on 14 December. We’d like to try him on dirt, but he will be up against it getting here so late. We liked him as a two-year-old, he bears watching.”

DREAM DUBAI (GB)
“A three-year-old by Kyllachy with some fair UK form, sent to us by owner Malih Al Basti. He’s a seven-furlong turf horse, Gr3-placed and we’ll look for suitable races for him.”

EISENHOWER (USA)
“He’s a lightly-raced four-year-old colt by War Front that came to us from Aidan O’Brien last year. He couldn’t race last season because of soundness issues, but he is sound and very well now, he could race for us at the first meeting of the new season.”

ERTIJAAL (AUS)
“He had fetlock surgery after running in Hong Kong last April, had a good rest and has recovered well. He is doing nicely and also expected to race at one of the early Carnival meetings.”

FAWIRE (USA)
“Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum bought this colt for us at the Ocala breeze-up sale. He is a big, scopy and beautiful horse with an international pedigree. He is by super stallion Candy Ride and has the attributes of a nice horse in the making.”

Fawire, big and scopy.

FURSA (AUS)
“Smart filly who won the Gr2 SA Nursery in SA and then finished second in the Gr1 Alan Robertson earlier this year. We’re hoping to race her in some of the Carnival’s fillies’ features, but we she will be arriving late, she only got to the UK from Mauritius this week.”

GENERAL MARSHALL (USA)
“He fractured his pelvis last season, but he has recovered and is back in training and actually working very well. He can pick up a race outside of the Carnival.”

JOHANN STRAUSS (GB)
“A talented horse we’ve always thought a lot of. He’s had a wind operation, we’re hoping his issues are now out of the way so he can breathe like he should. He is capable of winning a Group race.”

LIGHT THE LIGHTS (SAF)
“Decent South African import, and he’s been in Dubai for a few weeks, doing well. He should be in action early in the Carnival, can earn here if he reproduces his best SA form.”

LINDO AMOR (ARG)
“This is another horse bought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. He’s 108-rated runner from Argentina with some high-level form and he has been acquired for racing on dirt.”

LIQUID MERCURY (SAF)
“The grey has won six of 13 starts, a good sort who won an excellent race for us last year but was injured after that. He is sound now and we’re expecting him to win again this new Carnival.”

MASTERMIND (SAF)
“He’s been a winner and a consistent earner for us at the Carnival since 2015 and once again is capable of getting into the action at the 2017 renewal of this festival.”

MUWAARY (AUS)
“A son of O’Reilly who won last year’s Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes for us but then lost his way a bit. We’re looking forward to working with him in Dubai, he is a capable horse, but also one that will only arrive in the UAE midway through December. He only got to Newmarket, UK, this week.”

MAZEED (USA)
“Bought along with Fawira in the US, he was at the Fasig-Tipton Breeze-up sale, this one is by Street Cry from a mare by Gone West who has already produced a Gr1 winner.  He is doing well, we’ll see how he goes.”

MEGNAAS (ARG)
“He’s a young gelding by Asiatic Boy – he easily won a 1000m race on the Polytrack at Greyville back in January and is training very well on dirt, he’s been here a while. I’m expecting quite a bit from this one, he’s one to keep an eye on.”

Mubtaahij, back soon. (Andrew Watkins)

MUBTAAHIJ (IRE)
“He will again be our headline horse this season, with the Dubai World Cup in mind.  He has enjoyed a decent season with three Group places in the US, he is still in quarantine in the US on his way back, but he is still in good racing shape and there is a training facility in quarantine, so he won’t arrive far behind. We know what we have in him, we’re expecting a good season.

MUTAMAKKIN (AUS)
“Mutamakkin showed us a lot in Dubai last season after arriving with good SA form, but disappointed in two starts. We discovered he was a rig, he had surgery and this season he can atone, he’s a decent horse.”

NOAH FROM GOA (SAF)
“Our star South African three-year-old is now four, he hasn’t raced since January. He had a setback at Newmarket on his travels, threw a splint and was out for about 30 days, but he is doing well in Dubai and should race towards the middle or end of the Carnival.”

Noah From Goa, settling in. (Photo by Jo Brown)

SANSHAAWES (SAF)
“Tough older campaigner, he’s won three and placed eight times for us here since 2014 and even had his turn in the Dubai World Cup.  Still giving of his best at seven and can ring up the till again in 2017.”

SULTARAN DUBAI (ARG)
“Here’s another horse who has raced successfully in Argentina and has been purchased by Sheikh Khalifa looking to race him on dirt.”

SUYOOF (AUS)
“Suyoof is a talented three-time winner, Gr1-placed, but again one of those that will arrive late en route from the UK. He is a high quality horse, we’ll be hoping he can find his feet in Dubai quick.”

SYNCOPATION  (IRE)
“A two-year-old Maiden, he has placed in the UK from just a few starts and has been sent to us by Malih Al Basti. We will try him on dirt.”

TAHANEE  (ARG)
“Bred by Sheikh Khalifa, Tahanee is a good quality and versatile turf filly from Argentina with a 105 rating.”

Tahanee, 105-rated turf filly. (Jo Brown)

TANNAAAF (IRE)
“Tannaaf went off the boil after dead-heating in last season’s Qatar Derby, but he likes to race fresh, may have done too much racing and should be a stakes contender again this season.”

WHISTLE STOP (SAF)
“He’s been in Dubai since 2015 and has only raced three times for a good second in a handicap last season. He’s had his issues, but he is a horse with ability and he is doing well, can pick up a Carnival race.”

ZAHEE (NZ)
“Another of our Carnival old-timers, he’s seven now and not done yet, can pace it with the best of them on his day. Erratic, but capable and as we’ve seen with older horses, they keep earning at the Carnivals every year.”

Headline photo: Mubtaahij in his Dubai stable, 2015. (Charl Pretorius)