Dubai Racing Club has struck a new international partnership with York Racecourse that hands the winner of the Great Voltigeur Stakes a direct route to Meydan and gives Europe's finest middle-distance three-year-olds another shot at global glory.
Under the agreement the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes winner will earn automatic entry into the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold on Emirates Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse on 27 February 2027. Dubai Racing Club will also cover international shipping freight for the horse making the trip.
The Great Voltigeur Stakes, first run in 1950 and held during York's Ebor Festival, has built a reputation as one of the most important trials for elite three-year-olds and counts several of the sport's biggest names among its past winners.
The Dubai City of Gold carries similar prestige as a leading trial for the six million dollar Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic which features on Dubai World Cup night. Godolphin's Rebel's Romance, a nine-time Group 1 winner, claimed last season's running of the race.
Horses have already made the journey between the two races successfully. Postponed completed the double in 2016 and Old Persian followed in 2019 before both went on to thrive internationally.
Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Racing Club, said the partnership reflects the Dubai Racing Carnival's growing international standing and creates fresh opportunities for top horses to compete on the world stage while lifting the competitiveness of the Dubai City of Gold.
William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course at York Racecourse, said the Great Voltigeur has long served as one of Europe's premier tests for middle-distance horses and that the new pathway gives winning connections a genuine chance to extend their campaigns at Meydan.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
