The Meydan Racecourse is gearing up to host the 27th edition of the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday, 25th March, which will bring together the world's finest racehorses, jockeys, and trainers.
The prestigious event, which offers a total prize money of US$30.5 million, including the coveted US$12 million Dubai World Cup race, and its equally important undercard races, is expected to attract a massive crowd at the 80,000-capacity venue. Since its establishment in 1996, the Dubai World Cup has strengthened the city’s position as one of the world’s top locations for international sporting events.
Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club, Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, said,
“We are delighted to welcome the global equestrian community to the 27th Dubai World Cup meeting. The atmosphere will be absolutely electric. The quality of the horses, trainers, owners, and jockeys who have assembled is better than ever, and we are looking forward to a superb day of racing with our guests from around the world."
Dubai's excellent infrastructure for horse racing events, coupled with its world-class hospitality and rich heritage in horse riding, make it an exceptional venue for hosting such a global tournament. With its crucial role in supporting the growth of the horse racing industry, Dubai continues to be a significant focal point for the global equestrian fraternity.
The nine-race card features the G1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, as its highlight, with a strong field of horses that includes defending champion Country Grammer, who is aiming to become only the second dual winner of the race. Panthalassa, the Saudi Cup and joint Dubai Turf winner, is among the eight Japanese runners in the race. Algiers, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, carries local hopes, having graduated through the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
The US$6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic is one of the main supporting races on the card, featuring a lineup of seven Group 1 winners, including defending champion Shahryar and fellow Japanese star Equinox. Preceding that race is the US$5 million Dubai Turf (sponsored by DP World), where Lord North, who was the joint-winner in 2022 and outright winner in 2021, is aiming to secure the title for a third time. He faces a tough challenge from the strong Japanese contingent, which includes 2022’s third-place winner Vin De Garde and Japanese Derby winner Do Deuce.
The card also features two sprint races: the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Nakheel) and the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (sponsored by Azizi Developments). The former race, run over 1,200 metres on dirt, has a strong American presence, including Breeders’ Cup Sprint second CZ Rocket and G2 winner Gunite, who will be taking on defending champion Switzerland.
The Al Quoz Sprint, over 1,200 metres on turf, has an international field that includes Al Dasim, trained in the UK, and US raider Cazadero, while Godolphin's Al Suhail carries local hopes.
In addition, there are three Group 2 races on the card, including the Dubai Gold Cup (sponsored by Al Tayer Motors), which has attracted 2021 winner Subjectivist, and the G2 Godolphin Mile (sponsored by ONE ZA’ABEEL), featuring last year’s winner Bathrat Leon.
Race five is the Group 2 UAE Derby (sponsored by Atlantis The Royal), which sees Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien attempting to win the title for the fourth time with Cairo, while Bob Baffert sends Worcester over from California.
The opening race of the day is the G1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians (sponsored by EMAAR), where the last two winners, Deryan and First Classs, face off in a fascinating showdown.
Aside from the racing, there is plenty of entertainment on offer for guests, with the Style Stakes sure to be a hotly contested event, while racegoers can win cash prizes in the Faces At The Races and My Lucky Six competitions.
It's worth noting that this year's Dubai World Cup is being held during the Holy Month of Ramadan for the first time in the event’s history.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
