Ode to Dubai World Cup

Dubai: Inspired by his visit to Nad Al Sheba, racing poet Henry Birtles has written an ode in honour of the Dubai World Cup.

Englishman Birtles, 40, is known in his homeland as the Cheltenham Festival's "Poet in Residence", and was called on to address the Royal Box at this year's jumps racing highlight.

He gave a moving delivery of his verse about deceased star Best Mate, which reduced owner Jim Lewis to tears beside the triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winning legend's statue.

After witnessing Invasor's World Cup victory, Birtles said: "I find something terribly romantic about the concept of this wonderful sport being brought home to its roots.

"I've been to the Dubai World Cup meeting seven times and it never fails to get me, the thoroughbred starting here and then coming back to contest one of the biggest races in the world here."

The bard's first visit to the richest race meeting in the world came in the year 2000 when the breathtaking performance of Dubai Millennium left an indelible mark seared in his mind.

"Being there that night was an honour," he said. "The night he smoked up the track was something from another level, everything else falls short in comparison. I plan to write a poem about Dubai Millennium sometime in the future."

Birtles, who visits the Dubai World Cup in his capacity as head of international distribution for television and a consultant for production company Sunset + Vine, started writing racing poetry as a young backpacker in Sydney in 1991.

There he wrote about legendary Australian racehorse Phar Lap and has since penned tributes to, among others, Ouija Board, Desert Orchid and Dancing Brave.

The emotions

"I took it up as a way of conveying and expressing the emotions that this great sport causes to rise up inside its supporters.

"The whole thing has really taken off in the last few months thanks to the support of Edward Gillespie, the Managing Director of Cheltenham racecourse, who gave me the confidence to stand up in front of thousands of people and recite."

And the wordsmith hailed the contribution of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to the world of racing.

He added: "What Shaikh Mohammad has done, not only here but all over the world, means racing should forever be in his debt.

"Once Meydan is up and running it will be an even bigger step forward."

THE DAY AFTER
(A Poet's thanks to The Ruler)

© Henry Birtles
1st April 2007