A Truly International Dubai World Cup Day

Even the horse is smiling.  Three tries and Gloria De Campeao BRZ scored
a home run by winning the Dubai World Cup for owner Stefan Friborg,
Swedish businessman from Brazil, and brilliant Brazilian jockey Tiago
Pereira.                                                                   Getty Images

Everyone even slightly familiar with the Ruler of Dubai knows that he loves horses.  Over the fifteen years of its existence, many assumed that he created the Dubai World Cup day to indulge that love. 

There was always more to it than that.  The DWC helped put Dubai on the international map not only as the first major Flat racing event of every racing season, but helped make Dubai one of the most successful business and holiday destinations in the Middle East.

The US$26,250,000 million DWC day has the richest purses for the most varied types of races comparable only to the end-of-season Breeders' Cup scheduled this year on November 8 at Churchill Downs USA. 

Traditionally, the Dubai World Cup day producers stage a stunning 'son et lumiere avec pyro' performance just before the eponymous eighth race.

This year, Sheikh Mohammed's poetry narrated the production explaining an Arab's love of country and the essence of its people. 

Aerial performers suspended from balloons, dhows, artificial water waves, horses, flying robot falcons and an incredible balloon and fireworks' display brought Dubai's history and traditions to life for the the DWC's 75,000 racegoers and Meydan Hotel observers.

Sheikh Mohammed's poetry elevated the spectacular to a deeply moving tribute to Dubai's complicated Bedouin history as a simple desert Emirate that became a world trading centre due to its long coast on the Arabian Gulf--a perfect natural port. 

After dissolution of the British Trucial States, its seven Emirates joined to become the United Arab Emirates and the new country's leaders quickly brought it into the sophisticated 21st Century without losing its Bedouin character.

The poetry of the DWC production also paid tribute to the both the horse and falcon as Bedouin foundation icons deeply integrated in the Emirati national psyche. 

The horse is not just viewed as a means of transport or racing speed, but as a beloved being of great warmth, loyalty, passion and beauty. 

The falcon is the country's protector which explains why the Meydan Racecourse was designed to reflect the symbolic falcon as protector of the horses racing there.


Architect's rendering of the Meydan Racecourse grandstand reflecting its falcon design.                                                        Photo Dubai Racing Club

Meydan Racecourse was not only created to bring Dubai racing to the highest world standard in its facilities, but it has succeeded in creating a new racing standard.

The exciting new US$2 billion venue attracted horses and connections from all hemispheres to compete in the 15th Dubai World Cup day and it produced winners from Australia, Brazil, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE and USA. 
 
DUBAI KAHAYLA CLASSIC:  The first race of the day has always been for Pure Bred Arabian horses in the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1)sponsored be Emaar with a purse of US$250,000, 2000m (10f) on the inner All-Weather course.

Despite disappointment at the late withdrawal of the formidable mare Mizzna FR, the race produced a brilliant talent in Jaafer (Amer) who came from behind to defeat the accomplished No Risk Al Maury FR (Kesberoy FR) owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum by five lengths in the final furlong. 

The jaunty seven-year-old grey horse Jaafer was bred in Great Britain, trained by Britain's Julian Smart, ridden by Andre De Vries for his owner Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohd bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar. 

De Vries commented that Jaafer "was a different class."  

Indeed Jaafer proved to be a worthy example of his Arabian breed to symbolically launch the first DWC race card at the new Meydan Racecourse.


Jaafer proudly takes a paddock lap in his winner's blanket before the
world's longest TV screen in racing.          Photo Racing International

AL QUOZ SPRINT:  The newest race on the DWC programme and the first thoroughbred race was the US$1 million Al Quoz Sprint (Group 3) sponsored by Emirates NBD, 1200m (6f) on the straight Turf course before the stands.

The world's greatest sprinter Sacred Kingdom AUS was forced to withdraw from the race leaving Joy And Fun NZ (Cullen AUS) a field free of his nemesis. 

He took impressive advantage of the lack of staying power of the leader California Flag USA (Avenue Of Flags USA) to defeat him and the fast-closing second Fravashi AUS (Falbrav IRE) by 3/4 and 1 lengths.
 
JAF's jockey Brett Doyle was thrilled.  "That was great, the horse deserves it, as he has bumped into Sacred Kingdom a few times." 

Trainer Derek Cruz was awed that "he pinged out of the gates...at home he is more of a 1400m horse, so his stamina for this straight told in the end."

Disappointed Ahmed Ajtebi on Fravashi described his mount as a one-action horse not quick enough and Joe Talamo on the popular California Flag commended his horse who "just got outrun in the end".

Shrewd Cruz won the second race for Hong Kong in DWC history or owners Mr and Mrs Wong Chun Nam. 

GODOLPHIN MILE:  The UAE's leading jockey Ahmad Ajtebi may have lost the Al Quoz Sprint, but presented Godolphin's new second trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni with his first DWC victory on outsider Calming Influence IRE (King's Best USA) in the Group 2 US$1 million Godolphin Mile sponsored by etisalat, 1600m (8f) on All-Weather. 

The good-looking five-year-old horse finally made good his promise under a strong-driving finish to win Godolphin's only race of the day for the UAE by a length.

Atjebi said "I'm so happy to win for the trainer.  I've been with him for five years." 

Al Zarooni had only been granted his trainer's license on the Tuesday of DWC week.  He said "I was very nervous and hardly slept on Friday night but I did think the horse would run well."

It was obvious in the paddock pre-race that the horse agreed.  He was the pick of the paddock.



Ajtebi greeted "The Boss" (far right) on the Godolphin Mile victor Calming
 Influence in the flower-garlanded horseshoe Winners' Circle.  
                                                                Photo Racing International

UAE DERBY:  South African trainer Mike de Kock reasserted his great DWC history of successes by taking a one-two in the competitive US$2 million UAE Derby (Group 2) sponsored by Al Naboodah, 1900m (9.5f) on All-Weather.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khahlifa Al Maktoum owns and bred both horses:  the three-year-old colt Musir AUS (Redoute's Choice AUS) and UAE Oaks' winning filly Raihana AUS (Elusive Quality USA).  

Jockey Christopher Soumillon views Musir as "a horse with a huge potential but who was carrying a lot of weight...going over the distance for the first time...very courageous in the straight.  He had to go through the gap and finished like a really good horse."  

Musir is headed to Australia to join trainer David Payne and will be aimed at Spring weight-for-age features ending in the Cox Plate.

He had won Australia's most prestigious juvenile race, the Group 1 Golden Horseshoe (7f), under de Kock.

Beautiful Raihana's exceptional jockey Kevin Shea said "Absolutely brilliant.  I thought I was going to win but not against Musir."

Frankie Dettori placed third, his best placement of the night, on Mendip USA (Harlan's Holiday USA) for Godolphin's lead trainer Saeed bin Suroor. 

Raihana came in second by 1.75l and Mendip by 3l.

The race was marred by Timely Jazz' injury and a fight between Soumillon and Izaaj's rather kindly jockey William Supple. 

Controversy seems to follow Soumillon.

DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN:  The USA's Kinsale King (Yankee Victor USA) justified his young trainer Carl O'Callaghan's belief in him by winning the US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News, 1200m (6f) on the All-Weather by a half length over favourite Rocket Man AUS and One World AUS.

"I knew I had it won when I put the saddle on him.  I wasn't too worried about who else was in the race, but it was just amazing.  Leave it to 'the Irishman'.  He's a great horse, has lots of heart.  I don't need to do a whole lot with him.  I just give him his eggs and his Guinness and let him go."

Robert Fradd on Rocket Man ((Viscount AUS) claimed that "The winner came in on me a bit at about the 600 metres.  He'd never really been bullied like that before...I could just never get on terms with the winner."

O'Callaghan, who had the most sweetly over-the-top reaction to his victory, intends to take Kinsale King to Royal Ascot for the Golden Jubilee.

DUBAI DUTY FREE:  Ali Rashid Al Raihe cinched the UAE Champion Trainer of the Year award with his unexpected Al Shemali (Medicean) victory by 1.5 lengths in the US$5 million Group 1 Dubai Duty Free (sponsored by the DDF), 1800m (9f) on Turf, for Dubai's Crown Prince HE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohd Al Maktoum.

The British-bred six-year-old chestnut was ridden by Royston French to give Al Raihe his first Group 1 and French's "most prestigious win of my career". 

Al Raihe was also thrilled to see his former apprentice Ajtebi win earlier on Calming Influence for UAE trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni.

Bankable IRE (Medicean) and Imbongi SAF (Russian Revival USA) came in second and third respectively.

DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC:  It will be difficult to write about the US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) sponsored for the first time by China Guangsha, 2410m (12f) on Turf.

This writer cannot pretend a lack of bias after expending heavy emotions over the winner's unfair demotion in a Group 1 French race last year in favour of Stacelita FR. 

That was a race that caused worldwide controversy and inspired international racing authorities to try to regularise the Rules of Racing.

I admit to upsetting a few people in the paddock by screaming home the winner.

There could be no question that the five-year-old mare Dar Re Mi (Singspeil IRE) beat the impressive Japanese filly Buena Vista (Special Week JPN) by .75l and Sir Michael Stoute's six-year-old horse Spanish Moon USA (El Prado IRE) by the same in the Sheema Classic along with a super-strong group of Turf champions.

The mare Deem IRE, running for Saudi Arabia, was fourth by 1.5l making it three females out of the first four.

Godolphin's Calvalryman (Halling USA) came fifth by 3.25l under Frankie Dettori.

Dar Re Mi's trainer John Gosden brought her to the Sheema Classic from icy England with no race after her third in the November Breeders' Cup Turf. 

Despite not having a prep race this year, she was perfect in her coat and always hanging on though possibly tiring a bit. 

Gosden proudly explained his confidence in her "She keeps fighting.  She stays.  She has stamina and tactical speed."

He praised his new 21-year-old jockey William Buick over their first victory together and looks forward to a long relationship which could include either the Breeders' Cup Turf or Fillies and Mares.

He said of France "I've put it all behind me."

Courageous owner (Lady) Madeleine Lloyd-Webber, who fought the good fight, looked in rare form and could not contain her joy over her mare's showing them all what she can do. 


Owner Lady Lloyd-Webber proudly leads her mare Dar Re Mi, with jockey
William Buick on board, around the paddock to the Winner's Circle for
her victory in the prestigious Sheema Classic.  
                                                                Photo Racing International

Darley Studs' Sam Bullard was as jubilant over Singspeil's mare as Dar Re Mi's connections; he did laps around the paddock. 

The Dubai World Cup followed the son et lumiere avec pyro production and ended in a photo finish leaving Britain's Channel 4 viewers in the dark as to the outcome.  The station cut the broadcast on time and offered no follow-up announcement.

Channel 4's able crew came home to fury at the stalwart terrestrial station which is most invested in racing.  BBC has cut its commitment to the sport and cherry picks whatever it wants.

DUBAI WORLD CUP:  The Dubai World Cup is the Meet's US$10 million centrepiece Group 1 for Thoroughbreds, sponsored by Emirates, 2000m (10f) on the oval All-Weather inside course.

Gambling is illegal in the UAE so I may have missed some last-minute betting changes.  No favourites won any of the earlier races and the DWC was no exception.

There were fourteen entries from Brazil, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE and USA. 

The eventual winner Gloria De Campeao BRZ (Impression ARG) won the Cup on his third attempt.  He was second last year to the USA's Well Armed. 

The six-year-old horse was the first Brazilian horse to win the Cup and only the second South American winner, the great Invasor ARG, who stands at Shadwell Stud in the USA.

Jockey Kevin Shea suffered his second close one, by a nose, on Lizard's Desire SAF (Lizard Island AUS) for Mike de Kock.  No one could fault his ride and the horse looked a picture in the paddock.

Shea honestly commented "It's a very bitter pill to swallow, but I've got to swallow it...I thought I'd got it.  It's hard to take.  The horse gave me everything but the winner got it soft up front."

Most of the viewers thought Shea had got it except those of us directly in front of the massive four screens.

Running up next to me shouting "He's got it.  He's got it." was GDC's trainer Pascal Bary who jubilantly jumped up and down pounding the paddock rail in triumph.

He later told a tiny fib when he said he did not get that excited given he was not sure if his horse won.
 
The amazing Ahmed Ajtebi nearly pulled off a stunner with the equally-stunning chestnut Allybar IRE (King's Best USA--another Darley horse) for Godolphin and trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni when his horse nearly got there missing by only a shoulder.

"I was not lucky with my draw (Stall 1).  He did not take the gap.  He's the kind of horse that is a little bit soft.  If he takes the gap, I win by lengths."

Ajtebi is a hard driver, but could not withstand Shea's squeezing Allybar out of the final gap.

Allybar was one of the unlucky horses on the day.  He had the momentum.  If he had been a tougher horse, he would have made the gap and won the Cup by lengths.

The other unlucky horse was Gio Ponti USA (Tale Of The Cat USA), the USA's top Turf champion who ended 1.25l out in fourth.

Seeing him in the paddock for the first time in person, I believe he is "the real deal".

GP has had problems with stalls (Dubai's are the narrowest I have ever seen) since last year's Breeders' Cup delays and his trainer Christophe Clement said he had a bit of trouble adapting to the Tapeta All-Weather as its sticky ground blocked his movement.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez said "I was very proud of how my horse ran.  They were setting a very modest pace in front of me.  That really affected my horse.  I wish there was a little more pace.  They just didn't come back a whole lot."

Frankie Dettori on Godolphin's Mastery (Sulamani IRE), last year's St Leger winner, was only a shoulder more out of the finish and said he "ran super".

The magnificent filly Red Desire JPN (Manhattan Cafe JPN) was heated up in the paddock and drenched at the start.  She could only manage 11th or 5.5l out. 

Perhaps she was coming in season.  On the other hand, it had been 106 degrees during the day.

Gloria De Campeao's victory was a popular one for all who were exposed to the Brazilian contingent; they were by far the nicest and most exhuberant fans.

Brazilian jockey Tiago Pereira, with his first major win in Dubai, thought he had won, but "I looked across and the second jockey was celebrating, so I thought I'd keep quiet and wait for the result.  The horse settled in front and I dropped my hands 300 metres out and asked him to kick on.  He was so brave and this is all just a dream."

GDC's trainer Pascal Bary, acting for Swedish owner and Brazilian busninessman Stefan Friborg, brought the horse to Dubai three months earlier to acclimate him to the course and new style of racing on it.

Bary was determined to take every measure to win the Dubai World Cup on their third try.

Of his horse, he said "If he's alone after he's taken the lead and no one comes after him, it is so difficult to catch him.  He wants to fight."

And fight he did when they finally came after him. 


Dubai World Cup Trophies for Eight Races

The tall gold trophy in the centre for the eight races is for the winner
of the Dubai World Cup.                        Photo Racing International 

The Dubai government stepped in Thursday with a $9.5 billion guarantee to underwrite the state-owned part of Dubai World's $20 billion debt by converting its share to equity and is suppling DW $1.5 billion to continue Nakeel building projects.

DW wants to spread repayment over eight years of the remainder of the debt and can now negotiate with its international bankers from a position of strength.

With additional backing from local banks, financial confidence is returning to the area and, in addition, Dubai has discovered new oil reserves.

Still--what strikes one on returning to Dubai after two years are the missing cranes and omnipresent construction sites that created magnificent architecture and blighted the attractive city.

Many of us, returning to Meydan Racecourse from its early construction days, wondered if even the dirt access road to the Meydan Racecourse would be paved and how complete the facility would be for its official opening day when over 60,000 racegoers were expected to attend the Dubai World Cup. 

Not only was the road paved, but the massive racecourse structure plus extensive parking and a five-star hotel are close to complete. 

Hundreds or more workers are working round-the-clock shifts to finish the Racecourse in time for the 15th Dubai World Cup Day on Saturday, March 27.

This last-minute frantic effort is no different from the old racecourse's opening when finishing touches were in place only minutes before the crowd arrived for the DWC.  That army of workers completed Nad Al Sheba's public facilities on time and members of the press arrived to the opening not having to wear hard hats for the first time to enter the press room.

This year the press needed no hard hats.  Instead, over 600 media members, found an enlarged fifth-floor, finish-line viewing balcony and press room with individual cubicles. 

 
View of the stands, paddock, winner's circle, presentation platform,
prize draw car, Turf straight and Tapeta course from Press Room's
fifth-floor balcony.  Horses enter the paddock from the left red chute
and exit for the course by the long red chute.  Only the winner returns
to the winner's circle horse shoe via the latter chute.                       
                                                             Photo Racing International   

There is also a second, large media room mainly for photographers convenient to dashing between the pre-parade (in back of the building) and parade rings (track side) with shortcuts through the building.

Being closest to the horses before the races is where a racing analyst should be so I have requested to join the often shirty photographers on the Mezzanine. 

We still have access to the high course view by taking a lift to the fifth floor press room which is directly above the finish line.


View of winning post on the Tapeta course from the press room balcony.
                                                                Photo Racing International

The PR department of the Dubai Racing Club will assign places at the last minute in either the cubicles in the track side press room or places at the long tables in the parade ring facilities.

We expect to arrive for high drama over assignments and perhaps personal skirmishes.  That is life in the media.

Everyone becomes a paparazzi--even writers.

One thing we can be sure of is that Frank Gabriel, CEO of the DRC and former CEO of Arlington Park (IL, USA) will produce perfection in the racing production.

Since the Dubai Carnival was staged on the Meydan Racecourse Turf and Tapeta All-Weather courses from January 28, most of the kinks have been removed from the most important part of the event--racing. 

According to jockeys who have been riding the courses since January, the courses are perfect.

Thursday morning at the Breakfast with the Stars event, the straight Turf course was lush and dewy for the horses early morning track work. 

The curved All-Weather Tapeta oval course was spongy, springy and greasy giving excellent traction for horses. 

At Meydan, Tapeta (made of dirt, sand, wax and plastics) replaced the Dirt course of Nad Al Sheba with some controversy.  Famous Dirt champions, such as, Rachel Alexandra, will not compete in Dubai.

The decision to replace Dirt with AW as well as placing the Turf course closest to the public and the AW course inside the Turf course reflected the focus of the DWC's geographical position in the Middle East which is a crossroads for European, African and the Far Eastern race horses to compete.  

Most of the countries in these regions race on Turf and AW--not Dirt. 

The USA remains the Dirt holdout--perhaps not for long given increasing concerns over safety issues.

We snuck into the exclusive Majlis area for the Sheikhs of the Royal Family and took a forbidden photo exclusively for readers of Racing International. 


Workers finish off the exclusive Majlis viewing area for the Royal
Family, guests and Sheikhs.              Photo Racing International  


Looking up the paddock steps to the exclusive Royal Family enclosure above
at night; the Dubai World Cup is the last race and is run at night.
                                                               Photo Racing International

After racecourse orientation, DWC guests and visitors were invited to the traditional Arabian Nights at the Meydan outdoor amphitheatre deep in the Dubai desert.

They were feted with an Arabian horse display, camel parade and a sweet little white donkey accompanied by his friends--the sheep.

Human entertainment included traditional male group dances and artistic groups of women dancers, swirling belly dancers and two costume horses dancing to drums and an attractive woman with a whip.

Arab art and products were on display and for sale.  Traditional skin painting was one of the most popular treats of the event with lovely patterns to realistic scorpions.

Food and drink with hookahs were bountiful on the carpeted tiers of the deep theatre and the evening ended with a spectacular fireworks display only to be outdone at the Dubai World Cup itself. 




If the racing, spectacular dancers and singers, Arab horse parade and fireworks (above) are not enough, the evening ends with Elton John and Carlos Santana performing until 1 AM.


Meydan to Build Tianjin Horse City

Dubai's Meydan Racecouse and Hotel complex are so impressive that Meydan City Corporation has been invited to build an equestrian city in China's Tianjin province in a joint venture with TAK Design Consultants of Malaysia, Zhouji Jiye and Tianjin Farm Group of China.

Tianjin Horse City  will include an equestrian college, feedstuff plant, breeding base, horse hospital and quarantine centre, five-star to seven-star luxury hotels, a clubhouse, commercial offices and residential facilities.

The state will decide later if a horse racing field will be built.

A tourist resort will include a recreational and entertainment centre for horse riding, horse breeding, horse viewing and equestrian sports.


New Meydan Racecourse and Hotel Complex

The future design, in the aerial view at the top of the page, of Dubai's new US$2 billion hotel and Meydan Racecourse complex not only shows the vast ambition of the project, but the artistic integrity of its exquisite Arabic design. 

The racecourse's 1,750m Tapeta synthetic surface will replace Nad al Sheba's 2,200m Dirt course and will become the new home of the US$10 million Dubai World Cup on March 27 and many other major races.

In fact, there is speculation that the Dubai Racing Club might stage world-class races later in the year which would bridge the seasons between Europe and both the Near and Far East.  They could be staged at the beginning of the Dubai racing season in November and could compete with the Breeders' Cup.

Meydan's racecourse and one floor of the grandstand's corporate section were ready in time for opening day of the Dubai Carnival January 28 and the first leg of the Maktoum Challenge sponsored by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell Farm.