World's best equine stars descend on Meydan for nine-week racing extravaganza

The wait is finally over and the international racing spotlight with turn to Meydan, the UAE’s flagship racecourse, where close to 150 horses from 16 countries worldwide will square off against the UAE’s best equine athletes during the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Scheduled to tee off on Friday, the nine-week-long racing extravaganza will see several superstars of the racing world, both horses and jockeys, compete for prize money of more than $30 million.

The Carnival, which was launched in 2004, will culminate in the 28th running of the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday, March 25.

The cosmopolitan nature of the entries reflects the success of the 2022 Carnival, which crowed winners from the UK, France, Uruguay, Bahrain, and the USA.

Among the 147 horses who will be in action at Meydan’s twin tracks, dirt and turf, are nine individual Group/Grade 1 winners.

Commenting on the 2023 Carnival at its official announcement last year, Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayhan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Emirates Racing Authority, for the support he has extended to Dubai Racing Cub’s initiatives.

“We are delighted to announce an enhanced programme for the 2022/23 racing season in Meydan. We thank HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and the ERA team for their support, which has enabled us to enrich the fixture list and create a dynamic new programme that offers greater opportunities for international horses to compete here during the Carnival.

“Dubai continues to introduce initiatives to boost the sector and revitalise the global community of horse owners, trainers, and other equestrian professionals. With its deeply-rooted traditions in horse riding, racing, breeding, endurance, showing, and show jumping, Dubai continues to be the focal point for the global equestrian fraternity,” he added.

Commenting on the 2023 Carnival, Stephanie Cooley, International Liaison for Dubai Racing Club, said: “We are delighted with the strength of nominations which we have received from across the world for the Carnival. To have nations such as South Korea, who have suffered from Covid restrictions in recent years, returning is gratifying, and it's also superb to welcome back many returning equine stars as well as some new faces from the UK, Ireland, and the USA.”

Established in 2004, the 2023 Carnival will feature several new races, including the $150,000 Thunder Snow Challenge, over 2000 metres on dirt. Another addition is the $150,000 Ipi Tombe Stakes, for fillies and mares on turf over 1400 metres, which honours the Zimbabwe-bred mare who won the Dubai Duty Free tournament in 2003.

In total, there are 21 Group races for Thoroughbreds. Purebred Arabians have their share of the action, too, with a new race, the UAE Arabian Sprint Championship. The rest of the Arabian races have Group status, including three Group 1 legs of the Maktoum Challenge series.

The 2023 Carnival will provide ample opportunities for handicappers, with 20 handicaps, divided between dirt and turf, complementing the pattern races and worth a minimum of $75,000 each.

Meanwhile, the Jumeirah Turf Series for three-year-olds returns for a second season. Last year’s Jumeirah Derby winner, Nations Pride, went on to run in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom. (With inputs from the ERA)

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