MyRacing’s ultimate guide to the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan

The Dubai World Cup Carnival is a series of fixtures at Meydan racecourse which leads up to Dubai World Cup night, which usually takes place towards the end of March. It’s truly an international event, with horses trained all over the world taking part throughout.

Whilst the whole Carnival is worth watching, it’s the concluding Dubai World Cup night that is the focal point and it’s home to the best races with the widest appeal. We’ve created this guide to provide all the information you need about the racing and which trainers and jockeys to look out for. Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.

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Key races

Dubai Gold Cup

Historically dominated by Europe, this race is one for the stayers and is run over a trip of two miles. There’s plenty of prize money on offer and this makes it a race worth winning.

Al Quoz Sprint

This race is often a very international affair and attracts runners from Europe, the US and Japan, as well as locally trained runners. It’s very competitive as a result and is run over 6f on the turf.

UAE Derby

One of the important races on dirt, this race for three-year-olds is run over 1m1f. Japan is beginning to emerge as a serious racing power and the UAE Derby is a regular target for their runners.

Dubai Golden Shaheen

Europe has a terrible record in this 6f Group 1 on the dirt it’s US-based or local runners that tend to thrive in this very valuable race.

Dubai Turf

Worth almost £4,000,000 in prize money, this race is often dominated by European and Japanese runners. It’s certainly a prestigious event and one that every trainer wants to win.

Dubai Sheema Classic

One for the cream of the crop at middle-distances, this 1m4f Group 1 has an illustrious roll of honour. Whilst Europe has been the dominant force in this race, Japanese trainers have looked strong in recent years and it’s a fantastic race to win.

Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup is the culmination of the entire Carnival and it’s one of the richest races in the world. With a total prize pool of almost £10,000,000, there isn’t a Flat trainer alive that doesn’t want to win it. Some of the best dirt horses in the world compete for this prize and it completes the racing Carnival in spectacular style.

Trainers and jockeys to watch

Local trainers Satish Seemar, Ahmad Bin Harmash and Ali Rashid Al Rayhi often do well during the Carnival but it’s international trainers that take centre stage on the big night.

European-based trainers Aidan O’Brien, John & Thady Gosden, Charlie Appleby and Saeed Bin Suroor are often the big names to watch.

Pat Dobbs, Tadgh O’Shea and Jim Crowley are regularly successful riders but the likes of Ryan Moore, William Buick and Christophe Soumillion usually take the limelight.

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