Dubai: Meydan and Al Ain racecourses will host additional meetings during the 2015-2016 UAE racing season, which boasts a record 62 race days, a noteworthy increase on the 59 held staged last term.
The dates for the season have been approved by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Emirates Racing Authority (ERA).
The season will have its traditional start at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday, October 30 and will be followed by the first of 20 meetings at Meydan, the UAE’s flagship racecourse, on Thursday, November 7.
Abu Dhabi will stage the first of 15 scheduled meetings on Sunday, November 8, while Al Ain will begin its biggest racing season on Friday, November 20. The UAE’s newest racecourse has benefited from a steady growth since it staged its first ever meeting on January 31, 2014. The track, which hosted five race days in its first season and eight in 2014-2015, will now stage 10 meetings in all.
The international racing season will kick off with the 13th Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday, January 7, and will culminate in the 21st running of the Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, on March 26 (Saturday).
The distribution of the 62 race days for the 2015-16 UAE racing season, which is spread over five months, are as follows: Al Ain Racecourse (10 meetings), Meydan Racecourse (20); Abu Dhabi Racecourse (15), Jebel Ali Racecourse, 11 dates; and Sharjah Racecourse, six days of racing.
Sharjah did not host any races during 2012-2013 because of development and construction work at the track, while Al Ain joined the calendar in 2013-2014.
Commenting on the new calendar, Malih Al Basti, ERA Board member and Chairman of the ERA Steering Committee, said in a press release: “We are pleased by this impressive schedule of race meetings to be offered for the 2015-16 ERA season.
“The UAE racing season has grown to serve as a showcase of both domestic and international horses and horsemen. We continue to build on our successes and look forward to the return of racing for the coming season.”
