Godolphin's Promising Run (Hard Spun) appears the start of the show in the 1800-metre $200,000 G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Saturday. Precocious enough to win the 2015 G2 Rockfel S., the Saeed Bin Suroor runner saluted in last January's G2 Al Rashidiya, but had gone winless in her next four starts, including a seventh two starts later in the G1 Jebel Hatta in March. After a six-month break, the bay was fourth in the Listed Foundation S. at Goodwood on Sept. 27, and went one better in Lingfield's all-weather Nov. 2 Listed Fleur de Lys Fillies' S. Finally back in the winner's circle by 4 1/2 lengths in the Jan. 25 G2 Cape Verdi going 200 metres shorter against several of these, she leaves from barrier six.
A group winner in both England and the UAE, Opal Tiara (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}) brings a string of fourths into this contest, first behind MGSW Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Singspiel S. over course and distance on Jan. 11 and in the 1600m Cape Verdi in the wake of Promising Run, with Aljuljalah (Exchange Rate) third last out.
Furia Cruzada (Chi) (Newfoundland), a champion in her native land, captured the 2017 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, but most recently completed the superfecta in Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus})'s G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 on Feb. 8.
Saudi Arabia's Tiaemah (KSA) (Premium Tap), the mount of Frankie Dettori, is an intriguing outsider, and is currently riding a three-race winning streak at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The Neil Bruss trainee won the 1800m Prince Bader bin Abdualaziz Cup (KSA-G2) by 7 3/4-lengths on Jan. 19 (video, SC 6) and her combined margin of victory for those trio of winning efforts sits at 26 1/4 lengths. However, the Balanchine will be her first time trying turf.
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