3 minute read

The 15th Dubai World Cup Carnival will be one of historic proportions in 2019 with record purses for the 10 race meetings at Meydan in Dubai.

Prize money will be boosted 12%, totalling $US12,670,000, for the carnival that will take place on Thursdays from January 3 through February 28 for its first nine meetings.

The tenth and final will be Super Saturday on March 9.

The three rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge have received purse increases as they pave a lucrative local path to the recently boosted $12 million Dubai World Cup (2000m) on March 30.

The G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (1600m, January 10) is now worth $350,000; an increase of $100,000. The G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (1900m, February 7) is now worth $450,000; an increase of $200,000. Lastly, the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (2000m, Super Saturday) is now worth $600,000; an increase of $200,000.

Eight of the previous 19 Dubai World Cup winners have competed in the series, including four of the last seven.

Super Saturday’s remaining fixtures have received boosts as final course and distance preps for their coinciding Dubai World Cup night races, including the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m turf), which will increase $100,000 to $400,000 as the preliminary for the $6 million Dubai Turf.

Two races receive $50,000 boosts; the G2 Dubai City of Gold (2410m turf) will be worth $300,000 as the dress rehearsal for the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic while the Listed Al Bastakiya (1900m) goes up to $300,000 as the prep for the richest dirt derby in the world, the $2.5 million UAE Derby.

Three Super Saturday races increase by $150,000 for total purses of $350,000 respectively.

The G3 Mahab Al Shimaal (1200m) will serve as a dry run for the world’s richest dirt sprint, the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.

The G3 Burj Nahaar (1600m) sets the stage for the globe’s second-richest dirt mile, the $1.5 million Godolphin Mile and the newly upgraded G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (1200m turf) will again be the ideal prep, as displayed in 2018 by Godolphin’s Jungle Cat, for the $2 million Al Quoz Sprint.

Eight additional stakes receive boosts for 2019, including the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (2810m turf, February 28), which will increase by $100,000 to be worth $300,000 to stayers looking to tackle the $1.5 million Dubai Gold Cup (3200m turf) 30 days later.

The G2 Meydan Sprint (1000m turf, February 14) increases $75,000 to $250,000, fortifying a strong turf sprint program.

Fillies and mares will see $50,000 increases in both the G2 Cape Verdi (1600m turf, January 17) and G2 Balanchine (1800m turf, February 14), with each now worth $250,000.

Purse increases for the G2 Singspiel Stakes (1800m turf, January 3) is up $25,000 to $200,000 and the G2 Al Rashidiya (1800m turf, January 24) receives a $50,000 boost to $250,000.

The Singspiel strengthens theopening day card that also includes the G3 Dubawi Stakes (1200m) for dirt sprinters, which increases $25,000 to $200,000.

The 3-year-old program has been expanded, allowing horses to take turf, dirt, sprint and route roads to the UAE Derby.

The races include the Listed Meydan Classic (1600m turf, February 28) increased to $175,000 ; $100,000 Meydan Classic Trial (1400m turf, January 31); and two new races - the $100,000 Dubai Trophy (1400m turf, January 10) and $100,000 Meydan Trophy (1900m turf, February 14).

Dubai World Cup Carnival handicaps will receive increases ranging from $10,000 to $15,000, with the minimum total purse being $135,000 and rising as high as $175,000.

MEYDAN DOMESTIC SEASON PRIZEMONEY INCREASED

Meydan’s 2018-19 domestic season has received a 9% increase in purses.

The boost comes on the heels of announced increases to both the Dubai World Cup card and Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting.

Prize money has been boosted by AED 15,000 per race, with maiden races now worth 165,000 (about US $45,000) and conditioned allowances up to AED 240,000 (about $65,000).

Overall, the average purse total for the 12 domestic meetings at Meydan is AED 1,285,000 (about $350,000) per day. Meetings will comprise seven races.

The domestic racing season will extend to 12 meetings during 2018-19 with the first card slated for November 1 and ending on April 12.