I am typing this in the early hours of Saturday. The Dubai World Cup will be run today. The Meydan at Dubai, the state of the art facility, will host the 10-million dollar race. I flew back to Chicago and arrived at the Windy City early Thursday afternoon. As I get older, these long flights become harder to manage. Mrs Krish stayed behind and will be in Chicago on May 3, two days after the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. After a day’s rest and a lot of unpacking, I was at Maywood Park, a harness track, for the 14-race card that got under way at 7 10 PM on Friday. I stayed for 12 races and that was the limit. Bob Brown, my friend drove me to Maywood and back home. I got the programs for the Saturday day cards and the high-profile Meydan meeting is at the top of the list.

A Motor Club rescue truck helped start my car. After Saturday’s races, I will seek the help of a battery expert to sort the problem out. I have to get a ride to Maywood Park to see and wager on the Dubai races.

Seven races from Dubai, second through eighth, will be simulcast in America. The first race will be run at 8 20 AM in Chicago - 6 50 PM in India on Saturday. The World Cup is the last of the eight-race card. The world’s richest race will be at 12 45 PM Chicago time - 11 15 PM in India. This is a ‘must see’ event and please check your TV Listings. My understanding is that the Dubai card will be carried by a network in India. I also learn that a Club or two will carry the simulcast with the wagering option.

There are 14 runners in the World Cup. There is prize money of 3,703,704 pounds available to the winning owner. Gio Ponti, Vision d’Etat, Twice Over and Gitano Hernando head the market. These are all Group I winners. Gio Ponti was second to Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In his prep at Tamba Bay, Gio Ponti could not justify favouritism. Vision d’Etat had a productive 2009. The Eric Libaud pupil was victorious in Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales and scored a resounding win at Sha Tin in December. Twice Over won Newmarket’s Champion Stakes last October and was an eye-catching third in Zenyatta’s BC Classic. Gitano Hernando landed the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita as an outsider. Trainer Marco Botti took a pass on the BC Classic and took his trainee to Lingfield for a prep. Gitano Hernando did what he had to and checks in fit. Kieren Fallon gets the call.

In the UAE Derby, I like the chances of Musir. Christophe Soumillon rides the Mike de Kock-trained colt. A Redoute’s Choice colt, Musir has won four times from five starts. He is two for two at the Meydan. The cracking form he is in, ought to carry the day

Spanish Moon is my pick in the Sheema Classic. The El Prado horse was touched off at Sha Tin last time out. In 2009, Spanish Moon won three times and was ridden every time by Ryan Moore. Banned from Britain for poor gate manners, the Sir Michael Stoute ward has plied his trade outside of England with considerable success. I hold Ryan Moore’s decision-making skills in high regard.

Some of my friends in India are in Dubai. Let me wish them good luck. Being at Meydan for the first running of the World Cup is something a racing fan should treasure, I will not have that privilege. However, I will do it vicariously and hope to make the most of it.

The English flat season begins today. It is the official start. There are eight races at Doncaster. The first race is at 2 20 PM GMT. The last event will be run at 5 55 PM. The feature is the third race, the William Hill Lincoln Stakes over 1600 metres. Twenty two runners will answer the starter’s call. There has been rain and the going will be soft. The Lincoln Stakes is at 3 10 P M England time. That will be 8 40 PM India time. The winner of the Lincoln Stakes will receive 77,888 pounds. Penitent is the favourite. John Murtagh will be aboard the William Haggas charge.

So much has happened in racing while I stayed on the sidelines. Zenyatta made it 15 for 15. Rachel Alexandra, the 1-20 favourite in a stakes race, was beaten and will not go to Oaklawn Park for the April Blossom on April 9. The Apple Blossom purse will now be $500,000.

There is a new order in jumps racing. Kauto Star failed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Denman was second. Imperial Commander landed the big prize with Paddy Brennan.

There was an upset in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park last week. Icebox came away a winner. Julien Leparoux rode the winner.

Kieren Fallon was in the news. A week ago, after a race at Lingfield, Fallon was punched in the face by an owner whose horse had finished third. The owner has refused to tender an apology and has averred that Fallon caused the interference that stopped his horse from winning. The Lingfield stewards ruled that Fallon is in the clear. Reports say that jockey Fallon is contemplating legal action.

The Kentucky Derby is on May 1. My credential application has been approved. I have to book a hotel room. The India contacts I have at Louisville are not working. A 50-dollar room goes for three times that price over the Derby weekend. Louisville is not a big town and comes to life during the days before the Run for the Roses.

Jet lag is a concern. I spent 14 weeks in India. It is a tough transition. I will need, at least, seven days to resume a regular routine. I enjoyed racing in India. I made a lot of new friends.

I did not realize the power of Indiarace and the influence that the Indiarace writers have on the racing fraternity until recently. The discourse level is going up in India and it is gratifying.