Spotlight on Bhupat Seemar as Meydan gears up for Festive Friday

Festive Friday sets the tone for an exciting finale to 2025 at Meydan Racecourse, as the Dubai Racing Carnival launches the first of three themed meetings before rolling into 2026, a landmark year marking the 30th anniversary of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), one of the most prestigious and valuable flat races in global horse racing.

With nine high-quality races and several major clues on offer for the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting on March 28, Festive Friday, pairs elite racing with a holiday-themed celebration, complete with entertainment and a festive atmosphere, making it enjoyable for casual fans and informative for racing purists tracking early-season form.

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Emaar, the UAE's leading property developer and pillar partner of the DRC, continues its support for the Dubai racing season by sponsoring all nine races on the glittering card.

For newcomers, Festive Friday is a great place to get a first taste of Dubai’s top-level racing. Many of the evening's feature races act as stepping-stones toward Dubai World Cup night, helping trainers assess which horses have the potential to compete on the world’s biggest stage.

The card features Group 1, Group 2, and Listed contests, an unusually strong lineup of top-class races.

Group 1 races attract the world’s best horses, Group 2 feature elite competitors just below that level, and Listed races often showcase rising stars, giving fans a mix of proven talent and emerging stars.

The official highlight is the Dh1 million Al Maktoum Mile (G2), a one-mile dirt contest with a long history of producing Dubai World Cup contenders. Past winners such as Algiers, Military Law, and North America have gone on to contest the main event, while Brazilian-bred Glória de Campeão remains the only horse to win both this race and the Dubai World Cup in the same season.

This year’s renewal revolves around former two-time UAE champion trainer Bhupat Seemar, who incredibly saddles eight of the 13 runners, the most ever by a single trainer in the race’s three-decade history. The numbers underline the depth of his Zabeel Stables operation and the confidence owners place in the man who won the 2024 Dubai World Cup with Laurel River.

Among his team is Imperial Emperor, a G2 Al Maktoum Classic winner who progressed all the way to the Dubai World Cup last season. Seemar believes the gelding is physically stronger now, saying he has “filled out a bit and is a much thicker horse,” though he admits fitness first time out is the key question.

Other intriguing Seemar runners include last outing winner Mendelsson Bay, the highly talented Killer Collect, and West Saratoga, a Kentucky Derby runner.

Standing up against the Seemar battalion is King Gold, a proven Group 1 winner who was runner-up in April’s $1 million Godolphin Mile (G2) on World Cup night.

Also worth keeping an eye on is defending champion Meshtri, who bids to become only the second horse after Le Bernardin (2016, 2017) to win the contest back-to-back for Jebel Ali Stables’ Australian handler Michael Costa and Tumbarumba, who represents Qatar’s Wathnan Racing.

What to watch for: The early leaders dueling for position, how the returning horses handle their first run of the season, and look for proven performers or rising stars who stamp themselves as a genuine World Cup contender.

The Dh850,000 Al Rashidiya (G2) is the night’s key turf feature and an early pointer to the G1 $5 million Dubai Turf (G1) on World Cup night. Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, a five-time winner of this race and winner of the last two runnings with Measured Time (2023, 2024), fields a powerful trio.

The highly-regarded Opera Ballo, winner of four of his six starts switches back to a turning track, which Appleby feels will suit his style. Stable stalwart Nations Pride, a four-time Group 1 winner, returns fresh after an international campaign, while First Conquest brings proven Meydan form.

“We feel we have three strong contenders,” Appleby said.

Challengers include Irish raider Chicago Critic and French Group winner Caramelito, ensuring the Godolphin trio is tested in what promises to be a tactical, high-quality contest over 1800 metres.