Dubai unveils 2014 Carnival schedule

Meydan is preparing to host some of the biggest names in horse racing this

season with the release of the

2014 Dubai World Cup Carnival program, worth more than US$37 million in

prize money.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on January 9, 2014,

features 11 high-class race meetings at Meydan Racecourse, including Super

Saturday on March 8 and the season-ending $27.25m Dubai World Cup day on March

29.

The new season sees a number of changes to the program, designed to offer

connections more options when planning Dubai race campaigns.

The about two-mile, $1 million Dubai Gold Cup, held on Dubai World Cup day,

has been upgraded from a Group 3 to a Group 2 and the $175,000 Meydan Sprint,

held at about five furlongs on the turf on Super Saturday has now moved up from

a listed race to a Group 3.

Three conditions races have been upgraded to listed status and will serve as

prep races for big-money Dubai World Cup Carnival contests.

The about nine-furlong Singspiel Stakes, held on turf on the opening day of

the Dubai World Cup Carnival, carries increased prize money of $150,000. It will

prep horses for the Group 2, $200,000 Al Rashidiya over the same distance on

January 30. While still a conditions race, this race was won by Godolphin's

Sharestan in 2013, the Mike de Kock-trained Mahbooba in 2012 and Roger Teal's

Steele Tango in 2011.

The Dubawi Stakes at six furlongs on Tapeta on January 16 is now worth

$150,000. It is the prep for the Group 3, $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint, a

contest in the same race preparation as the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden

Shaheen. Satish Seemar's Reynaldothewizard claimed this race in 2013 en route to

his victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, while Captain Obvious won it for

Singapore-based Steven Burridge in 2012 and de Kock's Our Giant took the race in

2011.

The Dubai Millennium now offers trainers a listed race, worth $200,000 and

run at about 1 1/4 miles on turf on February 20. This allows horses to prep for

a range of Dubai World Cup-day options, including the two $5 million turf races

in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free or the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic or the big

one, the $10 million, Group 1 Dubai World Cup.

Godolphin has dominated this race over the last two seasons with Quick Wit

and Simon de Montfort winning in 2013 and 2012 respectively and Steele Tango

once again in the money in 2011.

The Al Fahidi Fort turf race, formerly held over a metric mile during the

seventh Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting, has been brought down in trip to about

seven furlongs and moved to the third meeting, which this season falls on

January 23. The $125,000 Meydan Classic, held on February 27, has also been

brought down in trip from a metric mile to about seven furlongs.

Martin Talty, international manager at Dubai Racing Club, said the changes

had been made to further refine and develop the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

"We wanted to develop our 1400-meter program and noted that there were not

many races of the status of the Al Fahidi Fort over that distance around the

world," Talty noted. "We wanted to open the race up a bit so that it ties in

with the Zabeel Mile held five weeks later, which can be used to prep for Dubai

World Cup day races."

Talty added that newly-upgraded Dubai Millennium would give trainers extra

options when prepping for valuable Group 1 races on Dubai World Cup day.

"This 2000-meter race was named after the great Dubai Millennium and fits

into our schedule on February 20, where it is four weeks out from Dubai World

Cup night and horses can use it to prepare for any of the three final races on

the Dubai World Cup-day card, the Dubai Duty Free, the Dubai Sheema Classic or

the Dubai World Cup."

The Gold Cup, now upgraded to a Group 2 was also earmarked for future growth,

said Talty.

"This race became a Group 3 in 2010 and moved to the Dubai World Cup program

in 2012. It is a race that has become attractive to trainers with stayers from

around the world and hopefully in years to come it will take another step up to

a Group 1, adding further value to the Dubai World Cup card."

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