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Fashion Friday takes centre stage as Al Maktoum Challenge sets World Cup path
Former champion trainer Bhupat Seemar holds a powerful hand in the contest, saddling six of the nine runners, including defending champion Walk Of Stars and former winner Kabirkhan
- PUBLISHED: Thu 22 Jan 2026, 7:08 PM
Since its launch two seasons ago, Fashion Friday at Meydan has quickly established itself as a flagship fixture of the Dubai Racing Carnival, and this year’s edition raises the bar even higher. With all nine races on the card carrying Group status, the meeting stands as a powerful testament to the quality and undeniable global prestige the Carnival now commands.
Sponsored by Longines, the Dubai Racing Club’s long-standing Pillar Partner, the glittering card is headlined by two outstanding Group 1 races, the prestigious Dh 3.6 million Al Maktoum Challenge and the Dh 1.8 million Jebel Hatta, both vital stepping stones towards Dubai World Cup night on March 28.
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At the heart of the evening is the Al Maktoum Challenge, a race that has shaped World Cup fields for more than three decades since it was first run in 1994 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, which was replaced by Meydan in 2010.
Race Snapshot: Al Maktoum Challenge
· Race: Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge
· Distance: 2000m
· Prize money: Dh 3.6 million
· Surface: Dirt
· Why it matters: Major prep for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 28
Former champion trainer Bhupat Seemar holds a powerful hand in the contest, saddling six of the nine runners, including defending champion Walk Of Stars and former winner Kabirkhan, previously trained by eight-time champion Doug Watson.
“Walk Of Stars had a lot of weight to give away first time out, against horses who were race fit,” Seemar said of the gelding’s fourth in the Listed Entisar in December. “He’s fit, and off level weights, hopefully he’s going to give a good showing.”
Kabirkhan, who captured this race in 2024, is expected to improve sharply with blinkers applied, while Artorius, runner-up to Heart Of Honor in the Entisar, now returns to his preferred trip, along with Imperial Emperor, winner of six races
Standing firm against the Seemar battalion is Heart Of Honor, representing former jockey-turned-trainer Jamie Osborne, whose standout achievement in Dubai was when he saddled Toast Of New York to win in the 2014 UAE Derby.
“As long as they go hard and turn it into a proper end-to-end, stamina-requiring race, then he’ll be coming into his own,” Osborne said.
While the Al Maktoum Challenge commands the spotlight, the supporting Group 1 Jebel Hatta adds further depth to a compelling card, with Godolphin’s Opera Ballo and Nations Pride among the leading contenders in a key prep for the Dubai Turf.
“Opera Ballo put up a good performance in the Al Rashidiya, when he picked up some valuable experience of racing at Meydan,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “He goes into the race in great order, and this is the logical next test for him. Nations Pride has plenty of experience under his belt, and the conditions are there to suit. He is a rock-solid horse.”
However, the Appleby duo face strong opposition in Silawi, the G1 Canadian International winner for Wathnan Racing and trainer Hamad Al Jehani, while French Group 3 winner Midak makes an intriguing first start for dual-purpose British handler Ian Williams.
Earlier on the card, the G2 Al Fahidi Fort stages a rematch between recent winners Mysterious Night and Marbaan, while the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint again pits Musabbeh Al Mheiri‘s stable star El Nasseeb against familiar rivals.
The G3 UAE 2000 Guineas, now part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, has drawn a deep field led by unbeaten dirt performer Devon Island, while the strong undercard features the G2 Blue Point Sprint, G3 Firebreak Stakes, and the Purebred Arabian G1 Maktoum Challenge R2, ensuring a night of elite racing from start to finish.
Racing gets underway from 5:30pm.
KT Selections
Race 1: 1. Muraad, 2. Vizhir.
Race 2: 1. Commissioner King, 2. Mendelssohn Bay.
Race 3: 1. Mysterious Night, 2. Marbaan.
Race 4: 1. El Nasseeb, 2. Mufasa.
Race 5: 1. Cover Up, 2. Spartan Arrow.
Race 6: 1. Walk Of Stars, 2. Heart Of Honor.
Race 7: 1. Opera Ballo, 2. Nations Pride.
Race 8: 1. Devon Island, 2. Six Speed.
Race 9: 1. Meydaan, 2. Sunway.
Day’s Best Opera Ballo & Devon Island.
