Event
131 horses from 13 countries to vie in Dubai World Cup 2022
The 26th Dubai World Cup 2022 will gallop off with a strong and distinguished Emirati presence at the Meydan Racecourse, amid the participation of the best horses and riders from around the world. Thousands of owners, trainers and horse racing lovers will attend the event.
The current edition will witness the participation of 131 horses from 13 countries, including 78 top-calibre horses from outside the UAE, which will compete with 53 Emirati horses that are among the strongest in the country, including Godolphin.
With a prize of US$12 million, the final race of the cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, is expected to witness fierce competition, especially with the participation of the best American horses, which will compete with each other and against carefully prepared local horses for the 2000 meter race. There are nine group races throughout the day, including six at the elite Group 1 level, with the main event – the $12 million namesake Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline.
Meydan Racecourse is expected to be packed to the rafters on Dubai World Cup night after organisers prepare to welcome back capacity crowds for the spectacular 26th running of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, on March 26.
The $12m Group 1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, will see some of America’s top dirt performers go hoof to hoof against each other in the 2000m dirt contest.
This year, there are bound to be more thrills and spills, with horses cherry-picked by connections to have a go at the massive $30.5m in prize money, which retains the Dubai World Cup card’s status among the richest single nights in horse racing.
Rising American star Life Is Good headlines a likely field of 11 for the 26th running of the G1 Dubai World Cup (sponsored by Emirates Airline) on March 26 at Meydan Racecourse.
Winner of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup in his last two starts, the Todd Pletcher-trained Life Is Good faces stiff opposition from three of his American-based compatriots in the 2000m contest on dirt. They are Grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie, who has been training in Dubai since January for Doug O’Neill and who captured the G2 Maktoum Challenge Round 2 in his most recent start; Bob Baffert’s Grade 1 winner Country Grammer, and the Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon, second and third, respectively, in the G1 Saudi Cup on February 26.
Also in the international lineup is G1 Premio Latinoamericano winner and twice Uruguayan champion Aero Trem, who takes his chance for trainer Antonio Cintra, while the second- and third-place finishers in the 2021 Dubai World Cup return for another try at the gold trophy: Chuwa Wizard from Japan and Magny Cours, trained in France by Andre Fabre for Godolphin. Saeed bin Suroor, the all-time leading trainer with nine Dubai World Cup winners, will enhance Godolphin’s chances this year with multiple European group stakes winner Real World, who captured the G2 Zabeel Mile on the Meydan turf in January.
There are two UAE-based runners, Hypothetical and Remorse, who finished first and second in the G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 last time out, while the sole UK raider is the William Haggas-trained Grocer Jack.
The traditional curtain-raiser for the Dubai World Cup program is the G1 Dubai Kahayla Classic (sponsored by Ithra Dubai) for Purebred Arabians, which is worth $1 million. An international field is set to include defending champion Deryan, trained in France, as is as fellow G1 winner Hadi De Carrerre. A strong home challenge is headed by G1 winners RB Rich Lyke Me, Rajeh, Brraq and Jugurtha De Monlau.
The Dubai World Cup meeting will be the finale of an exciting week of racing-related activities in the emirate.
A tactical ride from Mansoor Al Shedi aboard Nil Boy 16 ensured Zabeel Stables won the DIEC 101km Commemoration Day Cup for Private Stables at Dubai International Endurance City in Seeh Al Salam on Thursday.
Partnering the nine-year-old gelding, Al Shedi won the four-loop ride in a time of three hours, 25 minutes and one second (3:25:01), the pair going about their business at an average speed of 29.56kph, which was marginally faster than the average speed recorded by second finishing pair of Fares Al Mansoori and Al Tantawy, representing SS Stables, who completed the ride in 3:25:27.
Placing a distant third, with 3:26:53 on the clock, were Ahmed Al Marzooqi and Adrar, who competed in the colours of Al Qubaisi Private Stables.
Al Shedi and his mount were third at the end of the first loop, where the lead was secured by Anan Al Katheeri aboard Dakar who were quickest in the opening stage.
In a race that saw the lead change hands constantly, Khalifa Salem Al Ameemi of SS Stables took over at the end of the second phase aboard Ras Trovador. However, their elimination during the course of the third loop, left Al Marzooqi and Adrar in charge of the leaderboard.
Al Shedi had dropped four places during the second loop, but worked his way up from that seventh position he found himself at to reach second going into the fourth and final phase.
And as he turned on the heat, leader Al Marzooqi and his mount Adrar failed to keep pace and ceded the initiative to them with Al Mansoori and his racing partner Al Tantawy doing well to sneak into second with Al Marzooqi forced into the third and final podium spot.
Board Member and General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, Major General Dr. Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, presented the winners with their trophies, commenting: “It was a terrific effort from the winning combination to finish the way they did and I would like to congratulate the winners for their efforts. I would like to thank the stables for participating in the event and getting their horses and riders ready for this very important ride.
“We have a long season ahead of us that is going to be very exciting and we wish all of those involved all the very best for what lies ahead.”
The season at Dubai International Endurance City includes a series of top rides with the world-renowned HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival and Crown Prince of Dubai Endurance Festival, the two showpiece events on its calendar.
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