Dubai World Cup 'will make racing history'

Kevin Greely, the ERA Racing Secretary, is willing to make a bold prediction. He foresees racing history being made here in Dubai when the entire Dubai World Cup race card will comprise Group One races. "Ever since the inception of the Dubai World Cup in 1996 the idea was to develop the entire race card," he said yesterday. "In the future all these races are good enough to earn Group One status and we will have a full day's programme of Group One races.

"Not many racecourses in the world can boast of that fact. In fact none. The Breeders' Cup is good, but there's always a couple of races on the card that aren't group One races. I think we can have one of the only cards in the world where all the races are of the highest level." Greely went on to make an even bolder prediction, when he said that this take no longer than two years to happen.

"The best horses are here and quality of the races has already been proven," he said. "In order to establish and award a Group One statue you have to have the quality of horses, the performances that they've had prior to the race, their performance in the race and what they go on to perform after the race."

Greely also strongly believed that the Dubai World Cup could mature into a two-day event. "It's possible that in the next two years we could have two days of racing," he said. "We will access the race programme for both those days soon after the season is over and make a decision then as to what type of other races we may plan. "There's certainly room for a fillies and mares race, but we'll have to discuss it with the committee."

Greely, however, rejected a suggestion that handicap races could be included to charm Dubai-based trainers who could not find the quality of horse to race in one of the main races."What we have right now is a select day of quality racing with quality horses and that's what it will remain," he said. "We don't want to dilute that. We want only to have a day of international championship races."