The Dubai World Cup will put the emirate’s equestrian scene under the global spotlight.
Under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Meydan Racecourse will host the sporting event on Saturday, March 25.
The 27th Dubai World Cup brings together 129 horses from 13 countries. A total of 78 international and 51 Emirati horses including those from the fabled Godolphin stable, will contest $30.5m in prize money.
Dubai World Cup 2023
For the worldwide equestrian community, the Dubai World Cup represents the pinnacle of excellence not just in racing but also in many streams of the thoroughbred industry.
Over the past two decades, Dubai has created a vibrant equestrian ecosystem that produces both champion horses and hotbeds of industry innovation.
Since its inception, the Dubai World Cup has produced some of the sport’s fiercest contests and most memorable feats.
In 2000, Godolphin’s Dubai Millennium won one of the tournament’s most cherished triumphs while in 2008 another American star Curlin won by one of the biggest margins of victory in the Cup’s history.
Three years later, in 2011, Victoire Pisa and Transcend gave Japan a first win and a 1 – 2 finish in the coveted race. In 2012, Godolphin returned to the victory podium with Monterosso placed first and Capponi second.
In 2017, world champion Arrogate wowed the world with an impossible last-to-first victory while in 2018 and 2019, Thunder Snow won top honours becoming the only horse to win the Dubai World Cup twice.
In 2021, Mystic Guide recorded a 13th win for UAE connections, 11 of which were for Team Godolphin.
The massive increase in prize money for the 2021-2022 racing season reinforced the city’s status as an international horse racing hub.
Further, several new initiatives by the largest local industry stakeholders, estimated to be worth $400m (AED1.47bn), are giving a strong impetus to the global industry.
One of these, the Dubai Equestrian Forum, launched in 2021, a joint initiative between the Dubai Equestrian Club and the Dubai Racing Club, brings together stakeholders from all over the world to the Meydan Racecourse to explore how they can shape a new future for the industry.
The Meydan Racecourse, in partnership with leading auction house Goffs, hosted the second Breeze-Up Sale March 21, a global auction of young horses sourced from farms worldwide that included some of the most established sires in racing.
A confluence of leading owners and buyers from all over the world, the auction was another example of the emirate’s growth as a hub for thoroughbred sales.
The city’s success in equestrian sports and its emergence as the world’s pre-eminent horse racing destination mirror its rise as a major city on the world stage.
Inspired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, horse racing has served as a metaphor for the city’s quest for global leadership.
This year’s World Cup will be another celebration not only of equestrian accomplishment but also the emirate’s spirit of excellence.
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