Dubai World Cup

Dubai's Super Saturday meeting at Meydan Racecourse saw World Pool's globally commingled turnover increase over 2022's figure by HK$18.9m (approx. $2.4m) to HK$224,802,517 (approx. $28.6m) across the eight races. The Ras Al Khor conditions race, which was won by Godolphin's Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}], saw the highest jump to HK$33,518,763 (approx. $4.3m) in total monies bet on the contest. Both Group 1 races on the card saw figures surpassing HK$30m, with the G1 Jebel Hatta raking in HK$33,366,784 (approx. $4.3m) and the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 drawing HK$31,560,463...

'Victorious' in the 2021 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 ahead of a fifth-place effort behind Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) in the G1 Dubai World Cup, 8-year-old Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) sat a four-wide trip while punching the breeze and showed his superiour late stamina to best a game Bendoog (Gun Runner) in the $450,000 2023 edition sponsored By Emirates Airline Saturday evening at Meydan Racecourse to earn a return ticket to the $12-million feature in three weeks' time. The veteran galloper, a disappointing fifth behind World Cup market leader...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:39p.m. ET Against a field where several have high-profile connections and purple catalog pages, the Albaugh Family Stables look to be counted present with MILAN MISCHIEF (Into Mischief), their $440,000 KEESEP daughter of America's four-time reigning champion general sire. Hailing from the female line of Irish Mare of the Year, several time European/Irish champion, and four-time High-weight runner MG1SW Kooyonga (Ire) (Persian Bold {Ire}), the Dale Romans trainee is a full-sister to SW Little Menace. Their dam is...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA--Country Grammer (Tonalist) brings rock-solid credentials to the G1 Saudi Cup at Riyadh, according to his legendary rider Frankie Dettori, who says the Bob Baffert-trained 6-year-old can go one better than last year in Saturday's showpiece. Dettori also described Baffert's other runner in the race, the unexposed Taiba (Gun Runner), as a force to be reckoned with as the 52-year-old spoke alongside fellow luminary in the saddle, Joao Moreira, in the build-up to the world's richest race. "Country Grammer is very solid and never runs a bad race--touch...

A 73-strong catalogue of 2-year-olds for the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale on Mar. 21 is now online. Slated for 5 p.m. in the Meydan Racecourse Parade Ring, the sale's breezes will take place the day prior at the Dubai Racing Club Training Track at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, Mar. 20. Held for the first time in 2022, the inaugural sale has already produced 13 individual winners in five countries and there are also several group-placed horses. Among the best graduates is the winner Labeling (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is also...

The Dubai World Cup Carnival adds its own footnote to the study of flags, known as vexillology for the more serious, since its intent is to draw horses from all over the world. As the meet continues to march towards its big night in late March, another Friday of racing arrives with a trio of Group 3 events. Waving Godolphin Blue The G3 Dubai Millennium S. sports this week's headliner, as Grade I winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) returns for a new campaign after what could be considered a...

A unique breeding incentive for multiple group winner A'Ali (Ire) was announced by Newsells Park Stud on Thursday. Any breeders that send mares to the three-time Group 2 juvenile victor this breeding season will be entered into a prize draw to win two tickets to the G1 Dubai World Cup on Mar. 25, the Wimbledon Ladies' Singles Final on July 15, or the Oct. 28 Rugby World Cup Final in Paris. Besides his Norfolk S. score, the son of the late Society Rock (Ire) also captured the G2 Prix Robert...

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...

Michael O'Callaghan is eyeing big-race riches in Dubai with half-brothers I Am Superman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and Fastnet Crown (Ire) (Hallowed Crown {Aus}) before making the move to a new purpose-built yard near the Curragh ahead of the turf season proper.  However, the leading Irish trainer has said that he remains in the dark over his position with Amo Racing despite sending out Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) to secure G2 Beresford S. glory for Kia Joorabchian's major ownership vehicle at the Curragh last season.  Crypto Force joined the...

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...

Jared Shoemaker, co-managing partner of Pocket Aces Racing, grew up in Lexington and fondly remembers going to Keeneland with his extended family from the time he could walk. It was one of his favorite things to do as a child. By the time he was in high school, he admits to spending a lot of afternoons at the track while supposedly in class. Not one to miss a good day of racing--no matter the reason--he scheduled all of his lectures at the University of Kentucky to be done by noon...

In the end, things work because they work. We try stuff, often if not always with the best intentions, and see whether it gains our trust. Lived experience, among horsemen and fans, will eventually tell us whether an experiment has failed or whether, once every generation or so, we might have struck a game-changing seam of gold. The Breeders' Cup was one such; and, who knows, maybe a similar hostility from vested interests will ultimately prove the furnace in which HISA can be forged into another. That may seem a...