The holiday season, and in particular Christmas, has a nice ring to it. It certainly conjures up visions of warm-hearted family gatherings, traditional lunches and yes, holidays. Well, for some of us.

But since horses don’t celebrate the festive season there is plenty of racing planned for the next couple of weeks or so around the Emirates. I’m not sure what the jockey’s think of this but, nonetheless. they have to go along with the trend.

Jebel Ali Racecourse host a meeting on December 23, while the Sharjah Equestrian Club stage a card on Christmas eve. Then of course there is that Meydan staple on the December 29.

The endless entertainment on hand is bound to keep you joyfully warm even as the mercury dips and you dig in to the back of your wardrobe for the sweaters and jackets that you have been hiding all through the summer months.

Meanwhile, the jockey’s and trainers’ championship have picked up several notches in the race to claim pole position as the year ends. Richard Mullen, who achieved a lifelong ambition two seasons ago when the won the title, and reigning champion Tadhg O’Shea are engaged in a battle for the lead while Pat Dobbs and Dutchman Adrie De Vries give chase in what looks like a competitive division.

Royston French, Sam Hitchott, Dane O’Neill, Antonio Fresu and the UAE’s very own Saeed Al Mazroui are no slouches either and are in hot pursuit.

While reigning champion Doug Watson is attempting to establish his authority in the trainer’s ranks Eric Lemartinel, Ahmad Bin Harmash, Satish Seemar and Ali Rashid Al Raihe are not willing to be intimidated by his conquests and lurk close by.

True, these are still early days, with the Dubai World Cup Carnival yet to come, but it does augur well for the new Year.

While the colours of The President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, tower at the top of the owner’s ranks, horses owned by Mohammad Khalifa Al Basti and owner-breeder Khalid Al Nabooda have been acquitting themselves admirably, this far.

It’s a nice feeling seeing the upper echelons of all three divisions heaving with competitiveness. This is what sport is all about, what helps sustain the interest with all those associated with the sport.

Even those who have jumped on the flat racing bandwagon recently, and in particular the younger ones, will be reaping the benefits of being a part of the popular sport as the competitiveness and frenzy increases.

Competitive sport encourages a strong commitment from its fans and flat racing in the UAE has definitely gotten bigger and more spirited. Everyone is so into the sport and the efforts of the racing authorities to promote the game further, is without doubt paying off.