International racing expert Ron Wood with his best bets at Jebel Ali on Saturday

Bochart
10.45 Jebel Ali
1pt win

Ranaan
11.15 Jebel Ali
1pt win

Justice Protecol
12.15 Jebel Ali
1pt win

Forget the freezing conditions across Britain and Ireland for a moment. It is sunscreen and shades weather in Dubai, and there's a decent six-race thoroughbred card at Jebel Ali where there are winners to be found.

Even for those who don't usually have an interest in the UAE action, there will be plenty of familiar names among the jockeys, as well as a number of horses who started out in Europe.

Dirt racing is attritional at the best of times, typically being a test of early speed and a case of who slows down the least, so throw in a steep climb to the finish at Jebel Ali and this is a quirky track that takes a bit of getting.

Some horses are suited to it, others not so much. Course form can count for a lot.

Races up to 7f are run on the straight, and for the longer distances there's one fairly sharp right-handed turn.

A low stall – and racing towards the far side – can be advantageous in the straight-track races. But if the field is large enough, those drawn high can race near side with success. It's the middle runners who are up against it.

Even on the round course it's best to concentrate on the low-drawn horses, those who can save ground while racing on a favourable part of the track.

This card starts and ends with maiden races but there are three competitive handicaps, the first of which is at 10.45, and it's the old man of the field, nine-year-old Bochart, who can lead them home.

This is a 13-runner race so a few of them seem likely to race near side, and considering that most of the form horses are drawn high, that looks the place to be. Bochart races from stall ten.

He can take a few runs to hit form so it is encouraging that he has placed on both starts this term. His close second last time out can be upgraded as he raced up the middle from stall nine and was beaten only by a rival who hugged the far rail from one.

On that same card, the following race up the straight track was won by stall one, and the one-two finishers in the two round-course races came from the bottom two gates.

There was also a big-field sprint in which the winner came from the widest stall in 12, racing on the near side.

Those races suggest it was a big run up the middle of the track from Bochart, who is a three-time course winner and stays further than this 7f trip, and he should give it a good go from a more favourable track position now.

The following race is an 11-runner 5f handicap (11.15) which is probably not a big enough field or long enough trip to make the near side a viable option, so it may be best to concentrate on the runners drawn low.

Ranaan, from stall one, appeals most. The majority of his recent races have been over 6f at Meydan and he tends to get behind, but he packs a powerful finishing punch.

He defeated a subsequent winner by four lengths when successful on his reappearance, and on his next outing he did well to finish a close third from a wide draw in a race that didn't set up for him.

He's now dropping to 5f for the first time but he should get a good pace to chase and the hill should help him.

The 11.45 is a conditions event that looks best left alone so the final bet on the card is Justice Protecol, who goes in the 12.15.

He most recently contested a Jebel Ali handicap over a mile, having a three-wide trip from stall ten and carrying his head a touch high, yet keeping on well for second.

Justice Protecol had been off for 72 days and the winner was a bang in-form runner, who saved ground from his draw in four.

The selection is now in stall four so should have a better run round, albeit his jockey Fernando Jara doesn't inspire full confidence that the shortest route will be taken.

Justice Protecol has had just that one Jebel Ali start and only seven runs overall, and considering that this extra furlong should help him, he ought to go well.

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