4.35 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Meydan readies for $10m run

A partial view of Meydan Racecourse. (AFP)

Published
By Staff Writer

All roads will lead to the iconic Meydan Racecourse this weekend when the world's best will battle for honours in the 15th running of the Dubai World Cup, billed as the richest horserace meeting.

The opening of two bridges linking the futuristic venue is another significant milestone in the city's dynamic progress shrugging off the economic downturn.

The $10 million (Dh36.72m) Dubai World Cup, run for the first time on the all-weather Tapeta surface at the world's largest horseracing facility, has attracted the highest number of nominations. All fields will be finalised at the declaration stage today.

Aficionados of the sport are waiting with bated breath for the start of Dubai Race night on Saturday. The brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai World Cup is a fitting tribute to his love of horses and of horseracing. The standard was set and history was made by the American "wonder horse" Cigar, when he claimed the inaugural Dubai World Cup. The Dubai World Cup is classified as a 'Group 1 Flat Race', previously run on dirt for four-year-old thoroughbreds and above, and spans a distance of 2,000m. Chief supporting races are the $5m Dubai Duty Free and the $5m Dubai Sheema Classic – the two richest races run on turf. The newest addition to the card is the Group 3 Al Quoz Sprint, worth $1m.