A dress rehearsal was held late Tuesday at Meydan, the billion-dollar state of the art racecourse in Dubai. Meydan will hold its inaugural meeting on January 28 when the 2010 Dubai Racing Carnival gets under way. Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai’s ruler, was at the Meydan.

Races were held under the lights. Three races were run over 1,200, 1,600 and 2,000 metres. Racing conditions were simulated. The evening turned out to be an unqualified success. Frankie Dettori, Kieren Fallon, Richard Hills, Pat Smullen, Ted Durcan, William Buick, Tadhg O’Shea and Kevin Shea were some of the jockeys seen in action.

Frankie Dettori, Godolphin’s retained rider, had difficulty finding words. “It is awesome and I’m gobsmacked. From the moment I arrived, I have just been amazed and the track rides really well. I walked the turf course it’s amazingly wide.”

I checked with my 20 year-old grand daughter, the meaning of the word ‘gobsmacked.’ It is a colloquial expression that means utter astonishment.

Now in Dubai for the Carnival to resuscitate his career, Kieren Fallon thought aloud. “I have always liked Santa Anita but this place will be every bit as good, if not better. The turf track looks great and I look forward to riding here.”

Richard Hills, the English maestro, expressed delight. “I think the track rode very well. The saddling area is in good condition. Full marks on everything.”

Meydan’s tapeta surface was installed by Michael Dickinson. He was thrilled. “It’s a relief although I was always confident about the surface. The jockeys gave me an excellent feedback.”

William Buick, at 19, was the champion apprentice jockey in the United Kingdom in 2008. He was then attached to Andrew Balding’s stable. On Thursday, jockey Buick, at the Meydan in Dubai, received great news. Word came that Buick will be stable jockey for John Gosden. Buick will replace Jimmy Fortune.

Now 21, jockey Buick explained how fortunate he was. “It’s a privilege to have been given the job and I am really looking forward to working with Mr Gosden. Every jockey wants to ride for a stable like Mr Gosden’s, riding nice horses for good owners and being able to ride abroad. It is a dream come true.”

The British bookmakers reacted to news about Buick. William Hill made Buick a 10-1 chance to be champion jockey in 2010. Ryan Moore is 2-5 favourite. Kieren Fallon is a 3-1 chance. Richard Hughes is at 8-1 and held at 12-1 jointly are Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders.

Coral made Buick a 16-1 chance for the UK title this year. Coral offered some proposition wagers. There was an offer of 1-2 that Buick would ride a Group I winner. The offer was 6-4 Buick would not be on a Group I winner. A 6-1 offer was made that Buick will be aboard a winner in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. If you wish to bet that Buick will be top jockey at Royal Ascot, the offer is 10-1.

Kate Miller, spokesperson for William Hill, said, “This move propels William Buick into the major league. Punters were enamoured with him during his conditional days and has been popular ever since. His new job could end up causing bookies some major headaches.”

Jockey Fergal Lynch was fined 50,000 pounds as part of a plea bargain deal he made with British Racing Authority on a race-fixing charge. Lynch has been ordered to pay by next Friday or face a forfeiture charge which will result in disqualification. The January 29 deadline was imposed by the panel after refusing Lynch’s plea for time until June when his UK license will come up for review.

Jockey Lynch had a successful stint at Philadelphia Park in the US. His US license was revoked after the action taken by the British authorities. Lynch admitted to stopping a horse, supplying inside information for six of his rides and betting and associating with the disqualified Miles Rodgers who has been banned from courses.

Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby by a wide margin. The Dynaformer colt was an odds-on choice in Pimlico’s Preakness and suffered a career and life-ending injury. Lentenor, Barbaro’s full brother, broke the duck in a Gulfstream maiden race over (turf) 1,700 metres on Wednesday. It was the third career start for Lentenor who, at two, was third and second in his first two outings. John Velasquez rode Lentenor who was a short-priced favourite and won by three and one half lengths.

Trainer Michael Matz trains for Gretchen and Roy Jackson who also owned Barbaro. “We have always known he was a good horse. He is a big boy and still immature. It is too early to say if he has Triple Crown potential but I am very pleased with how he ran today.”

Take Control, an A P Indy colt, made a winning debut on December 30 at Santa Anita. The Bob Baffert trainee was hailed as a Classic prospect. News came out of Baffert’s barn that Take Control has shin problems and will be sidelined for two months.

“It is better in the long run because he is not mature and needs time to grow. He’ll be ready for the summer Derbies and will be a great Travers horse. If these three year-olds show me one slight problem, I take them off the Derby trail,” Baffert explained.

After being bought back the first time. Take Control was purchased for 1.9 million dollars by Kaleem Shah early last year.

Santa Anita’s pro-ride track is going through serious problems. Monday’s racing at Santa Anita was cancelled because of heavy rain in Los Angeles. Thursday’s action was also abandoned when the rain did not stop. Drainage problems made the track unfit for racing. A return to the old (dirt) track is being given serious consideration.

Ron Charles, Santa Anita’s President, said, “This has been the heaviest rainfall in five years. The track could not cope with the deluge.”

Coral opened wagering yesterday for the Dubai World Cup to be run on March 27. Gio Ponti heads the market at 7-2. A double Eclipse winner, Gio Ponti will be running on the tapeta track at the Meydan. Vision d’Etat and Twice Over are 6-1 joint second favourites. Presvis is at 8-1. The Japanese mare, Vodka is a 12-1 chance. The Dubai team is trying to lure Zenyatta.

Talking about Zenyatta, here is an item from Nick Smith, Ascot’s Public Relations Chief. Mr Smith is going to the US. He will try to talk Zenyatta’s connections into accepting an invitation to race at Royal Ascot in June. It is ambitious. I know Nick Smith. He has tremendous persuasive skills.

There was reaction from a reader about news from Hong Kong. Trainer Me Tsui recorded a double at Happy Valley in Hong Kong. Those two wins propelled Tsui into reckoning in the trainers’ race. One of Tsui’s winners, Strawberry, was ridden by Howard Cheng who broke a 62-loser streak.

Wednesday marked an end to another dry spell. Another jockey, Eddy Lai, lost 95 races in a row and won on Destiny’s Child when making it all in a handicap.

Caspar Fownes did not leave Wednesday’s races with a blank slate. He saddled the winner of the nightcap. Gerard Mosse, the French ace, adopted off pace tactics to score on Perfect Style. Caspar is now second in the trainer standings.

All this did not stop John Size, the top trainer, from combining with Doug Whyte to win with Absolute Hedge in a 1600-metre event.

Sam Houston is offering a purse of two million dollars if Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will show up in a race on March 27. The race is open to boys. It will be over 1800 metres on the main track. The purse is being offered by Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McingVale, a businessman who owns Gallery Furniture stores in the Houston area.

Midnight Lute, the BC Sprint winner in 2007 and 2008, has a daughter. Touch Tiz’s Sis, a Grade I winner, has given birth to a filly on January 19. Tough Tiz’s Sis is by Tiznow. Midnight Lute is a son of Real Quiet. The 2010 fee for Midnight Lute is 20,000 dollars.

Raven’s Pass won the BC Classic in November 2008. He is a son of Elusive Quality. Pure Illusion, a daughter of Danehill, was covered by Raven’s Pass. A filly is the result and was born on January 12 in Ireland. Raven’s Pass stands at Sheikh Mohammed’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland.

On January 20 at Gulfstream Park, the fourth race was declared a ‘no contest.’ It was a 1700-metre grass race. Soon after the gates opened, jockey Jose Lezcano was thrown off his mount. He lay on the grass and the outriders asked other jockeys to ease up. In a 1700-metre race, the horses race past the starting point twice. The stewards refunded all the wagers. Jockey Lezano was talking and was walking on his own. He, however, did not race in subsequent contests. A sum of $46,312 was returned on track. Off track, $558,409 was returned.