Dubai

Only four horses in the history of the Dubai World Cup Carnival have managed to win the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge in the same year, with the last of the four, North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), completing the double in 2019. Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi's Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) could be number five, as he leaves from stall eight under James Doyle in Friday's G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Presented By Emaar. The Simon and Ed Crisford charge blitzed the competition by 6 1/2 lengths when...

Dubawi sired his second new group winner in two weeks and 163rd overall when Prince Eiji (GB) got the job done over a sloppy main track in the 1600-metre $150,000 G3 Firebreak S. Presented By Longines. The first three home were all from the Doug Watson barn, as Everfast (Take Charge Indy) was 1 1/4 lengths back in second, a half-length to the good of Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan) in third. Several lengths off the pace in second as Ever Given (Kodi Bear {Ire}) opened up leaving the chute, Prince Eiji...

Having celebrated a maiden-breaking victory in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial over seven furlongs Dec. 23, MIMI KAKUSHI (f, 3, City of Light--Rite Moment, by Vicar) ran out a convincing 4 1/2-length winner of Friday's $150,000 Listed UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan. The bay, fourth in her first two trips to the races over sprint distances in November and early December, jumped well enough for Mickael Barzalona, but was beaten for speed by Awasef (Cairo Prince) to the outside and was ultimately eased back and into the two path to...

by J.N. Campbell & Heather Anderson The pulse intensifies week-to-week at Meydan Racecourse, as it's almost a fortnight into the Dubai World Cup Carnival. A seven-race card this Friday sports the 1800-metre G2 Al Rashidiya Presented By Azizi, and a well-matched field of 11 will vie for group honours over the Meydan turf. That distance might be a touch long for Godolphin-bred, Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). He is poised to make a splash in what is his 7-year-old debut for trainer Saeed bin Suroor as he points towards what...

The Best Turned Out Award at Meydan Racecourse will be sponsored by Fasig-Tipton in 2023, the Dubai Racing Club announced on Friday morning. There will be a cash prize presented to the groom of each award winner prior to each race as well as other merchandise throughout the season. Graduates of the American sales company to find success in Dubai include G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Switzerland (Speightstown), as well as dual Golden Shaheen winner Mind Your Biscuits (Posse). "Fasig-Tipton are hugely influential across the world of Thoroughbred sales and...

Mick Appleby will bid to begin the new year with a bang when stable star Raasel lines out in the Dubai Dash at Meydan. Appleby will run four horses in total at Meydan over the coming weeks and months, all of whom cost just over £60,000 combined, which illustrates the Northern England-based trainer's ability to sniff out a bargain at the sales.    In this week's Starfield Stud-sponsored Conversations Q&A, Appleby discusses his approach to sourcing talent, speaks out on the poor prize-money in Britain and how difficult it is...

7th-Meydan, AED82,500, Maiden, 2yo, 1600m, 1:38.92, ft. SHIRL'S BEE (c, 2, Bee Jersey--Shirl's Soul, by Perfect Soul {Ire}) was the subject of some pre-race buzz and turned in a tough debut effort to stamp himself one to watch in next year's 3-year-old events in Dubai. Nicely into stride from gate two, the homebred colt appeared set to challenge for the lead at the rail, but was taken hold of by Pat Dobbs and immediately began to overrace. More settled as they raced past the half-mile marker, Shirl's Bee faced a...

Nominations are now open for the 2023 edition of the Dubai World Cup meeting, set for Saturday, Mar. 25 at Meydan Racecourse. Celebrating its 27th anniversary this year, the Dubai World Cup will offer $30.5 million in purses across eight stakes races. In addition to the $6-million 2000-metre main event, supporting races include the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at 2400 metres; the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen set at 1200 metres on dirt; the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over 1200 metres on turf; the 3200-metre G2 Dubai Gold Cup on...

Newmarket-based trainer George Boughey is mapping out a 2023 campaign for Royal Ascot winner Missed The Cut (Quality Road), which includes a potential trip to Dubai and possibly America. "There's a chance that he could go to America," Boughey said. "There's a race called the Santa Anita H. on Mar. 4, which is a Grade I on dirt. We'll see, but he's doing very well physically and I always said to [co-owner] Bill Farish and the guys at Lane's End that I didn't want to over-race him this year but...

In this series, we will have a look at first-time starters entered for age-restricted maiden races on the week's main live program at Meydan Racecourse, focusing specifically on pedigree and/or performance in sales ring, both domestic and abroad. With the exception of Thursday, Dec. 1, Super Saturday, Mar. 4, and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 25, the main meeting at Meydan takes place on Fridays. Six meetings are to be staged at the UAE's flagship racecourse prior to the start of the Dubai World Cup Carnival Friday, Jan. 6, 2023....

Meydan's Nov. 25 card will be presented by Longines. Featuring the G2 Madjani S. Presented by Longines for Purebred Arabians, the remaining six races are for Thoroughbreds, anchored by a 1200-metre handicap worth AED105,000. The first post is 6 p.m. local time. Matthieu Baumgartner, Longines Vice-President Marketing said, "Longines is proud to be the Title Partner, Presenting Partner and Official Timekeeper of Meydan Racecourse. This partnership reinforces Longines' long-lasting dedication and commitment to the equestrian world, which dates back almost one century and half."

The 2023 Dubai Breeze-Up Sale in association with Goffs, organised by the Dubai Racing Club in cooperation with Goffs, will return to the sales calendar in 2023. Slated for Meydan Racecourse in the week leading up to Dubai World Cup night, just like the 2022 inaugural edition, the sale will be confined to a maximum of 69 juveniles carefully selected by the Goffs inspection team. Travel subsidies will be available to vendors and all entries will again undergo a full veterinary examination prior to departure to ensure full transparency and...