Dubai: Despite the challenging events that have taken place over the summer months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dubai Racing Club (DRC) has made every effort to ensure the return of racing in safe and secure conditions for the 2020-2021 season which commences on November 5.
The Dubai Racing Club has also announced the programme for the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival which Will feature international horses who will vie for prize purse to be paid out in dollars.
Slated to run over six consecutive Thursdays from January 21 to February 25, 2021, the Dubai World Cup Carnival programme will culminate on March 6 with the Super Saturday race meeting.
Also known as a dress rehearsal for the prestigious Dubai World Cup meeting, which will be held on March 27, 2021, racing on Super Saturday carries a total purse worth $1.7 million. Total purse may have been reduced from the previous year due to the pandemic but racing of the highest quality is guaranteed.
The opening night of the Carnival on January 21 promises to be an action-packed evening with six out of seven races falling in the Group and Listed categories. Topping the racecard on the night is the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (G2), run over a mile, which serves as a prep, for both the Godolphin Mile (G2) and Dubai World Cup (G1).
The remaining six nights of racing during the Dubai World Cup Carnival also offer similarly high quality races which are sure to attract the finest international trainers, horses and jockeys. Horses from Denmark, USA, Ireland, UK, Sweden and Norway as well as the UAE were represented at the 2020 running of Super Saturday.
Among the impressive international winners on the night was USA’s Doug O’Neill-trained Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint-winner Wildman Jack, exemplifying the top quality of runners on the night. Post-Meydan, the four-year-old went on to win the Group 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita, while being placed in the Group 2 Eddie D Stakes, and is a strong contender in the prestigious 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. A similar international participation is anticipated in 2021.
The closing date for Horse Connections to file in their Dubai World Cup Carnival applications is November 23, 2020. All races will be contested and regulated in standard fashion and results will be recorded in an official capacity.
In line with the UAE Government regulations, Dubai Racing Club will follow the strict health and safety measures, including comprehensive sanitisation, thermal screening of attendees and social distancing.
Dubai Racing Club also welcomed back their sponsors Emirates Airline, Longines, DP World, Gulf News, Emirates NBD, Azizi Developments, Al Tayer Motors, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City – District One and Mubadala.
