Domestic Flat action at the weekend is spearheaded by Kempton, where the £35,000 intercasino.co.uk Rosebery Stakes and the intercasino.co.uk Magnolia Stakes take top billing. There is also a decent card at Doncaster, on which the £25,000 Doncaster Shield is the highlight. Both these meetings are ably supplemented by jumps racing at Newbury. The second leg of a two-day fixture, the Berkshire course gives the fairer sex a chance with the EBF/TBA Mares Only Final and the EBF Mares Only "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle Final. Both are of Listed calibre and both hold a cool £50,000 in prize-money.

With the Flat campaign yet to hit full throttle in Britain, attentions on Saturday will switch to the six races card at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai the highlight of which will be the Emirates Airline-sponsored Dubai World Cup.

Dubai World Cup

This is a race all about Curlin. The American Horse of the Year is a wonder and, having enjoyed a fine pipe-opener in Dubai in February, will be a very warm order to take his prize-money haul into the stratosphere.

Connections of Curlin were satisfied after he was handed stall 12. The four-year-old has been in Dubai for over a month and has already tasted victory on the Nad Al Sheba dirt having won the Jaguar Trophy on February 28 on his eagerly-anticipated UAE debut.

And the son of Smart Strike is favourite to add the World Cup to October's Breeders' Cup Classic triumph after impressing throughout his preparation work, although no horse has yet to triumph in this race from the 12 box.

On Saturday under the lights at Nad Al Sheba, Godolphin duo Happy Boy and Jalil will lead the challenge with last year's runner-up Premium Tap and Mike de Kock's UAE Derby winner Asiatic Boy also set to be in contention.

Godolphin four-year-old Jalil, who will have three-time World Cup winning jockey Frankie Dettori in the saddle on Saturday night, has been the more impressive of the contenders in the run up after the son of Storm Cat won the Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three. Happy Boy also won the Al Maktoum Challenge Round One, while last year's UAE triple crown winner Asiatic Boy overcame traffic problems to score an impressive victory in the Al Shindagha sprint on his first start in 2008. However, he followed up with a disappointing run in the Burj Nahaar, finishing third behind the Saeed bin Suroor-trained duo of Elusive Warning and Blackat Blackitten. But despite the setback in his World Cup preparations, leading Dubai Carnival trainer De Kock has insisted Asiatic Boy is in "great shape," while Jalil is tipped to give Curlin a "run for his money."

Well Armed is in ideal shape to make his Nad Al Sheba return after he fractured his pelvis during the 2006 UAE Derby and was away from racing for almost two years, spending the majority of the time recuperating at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.

But after earning his place in the US$6million World Cup with victory over Heatseeker at the start of February, trainer Eion Harty is ready to unleash Well Armed in Saturday's feature event.

The other really interesting race at Nad Al Sheba is the Dubai Duty Free.

Dubai Duty Free

Finsceal Beo who runs in this race won the English and Irish 1000 Guineas last year, but was denied a clean sweep of all three major European fillies' Classics after being beaten a head by fellow Duty Free contender Darjina in the French equivalent.

Despite Godolphin's Ramonti being ruled out through injury, Saeed bin Suroor will be represented by Champion Stakes winner Literato and Creachadoir, while Mick Channon's Majestic Roi and Japan's Vodka are included in a high-class field.

The standouts would have to be Darjina and Creachadoir and lookout for New Zealand Horse of the Year, Seachange.

It's interesting to note that Frankie Dettori rides Literato instead of stablemate Creachadoir, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy.

Football

This weekends Premiership fixtures gives the opportunity for a win treble with Arsenal at 4/5 to win at Bolton and Manchester United and Chelsea at 1/3 to secure victory at home to Aston Villa and Middlesbrough respectively.

Town are at home again this Saturday against Bury and are priced at 5/4 to win with the draw at 23/10 and the visitors are 13/8 to take three points.

Don't forget, whatever you fancy a punt on you can find all the odds by following the link on Shrewsweb to our betting partner bet365.com.

Good Luck from ShrewsWeb's man on the rail

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