Carnival has helped change face of sport, Gabriel says

Dubai: The Dubai International Racing Carnival has helped change the face of horseracing.

Frank Gabriel Jr, CEO of the Dubai Racing Club, who has played a significant role in ensuring that the Carnival has made its mark on the international scene, spoke to Gulf News on the eve of the 2010 Carnival and highlighted its burgeoning appeal.

Gulf News: If anyone must be really looking forward to opening night's racing at Meydan, it must be you.

Frank Gabriel Jr: I think we're all looking forward to Thursday to get the best racecourse open and to seeing some of the best horses in the world in action. Everything has been geared up to the opening night and we are really looking forward to it. The Dubai International Racing Carnival has captured the attention of the world's horsemen since its beginning in 2004 and this year should be no different.

What kind of response have you had from horsemen around the world in the build-up to the 2010 Carnival?

I think we'll see some very nice horses compete at Meydan. The response has been very good and I believe some of the best horses from around the world will be seen in action. The race night trials went off very well and that should encourage even greater participation in the Carnival.

If there is one horse that you would like to see compete at the Carnival could that be… Zenyatta?

Probably. I think she's an amazing filly and now that she's come out of retirement it would be great to see her run here. But we are not just looking at a horse, we want the best horses from around the world to run in the Carnival."

What was the response from jockeys and trainers following the recent race night trials?

We only worked horses on the all-weather but the response was good. Horses have been working on the turf at the training track we've had no complaints. The jockeys seem to like the feel of the track and the horses have trained very well on it. The feedback has been very consistent.

With the turf track being switched to the outside of the all-weather, will there be more emphasis on turf races than in previous years?

More than 60 to 70 per cent of the races run at the Carnival have been on turf, and that's the reason behind giving the turf surface more prominence. However, the all-weather is no less significant, given it's inner location.

The new 1,200 metre sprint race on the Dubai World Cup card is an exciting addition to the event…

Yes, the opportunity that we got, given the new circumference of the turf track, made this race possible. It's a Group 3 race with a $1 million purse (Dh3.67 million) but I think we will see a lot of real quality horses compete.

What has been the inspiration behind the success of the Carnival?

The Maktoum family has been firm in their commitment to international racing around the world, and the success of the Dubai International Racing Carnival has proven that trainers around the globe share that drive and commitment.