Horse racing competitions take place all over the world. The Dubai World Cup is a popular event held yearly at Meydan Racecourse in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Now that Cheltenham 2023 is over, you might wonder which event will attract horse racing fans worldwide. The answer is the Dubai World Cup, set to start on March 25.
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What You Should Know About the Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is one of the greatest horse races in the world, with a purse of $12 million.
According to the Dubai World Cup Wiki page, the first race took place in 1996, marking the start of a significant global horse racing event. The Dubai World Cup is the flagship event of the Dubai World Cup Night, which consists of eight Thoroughbred races with a total purse of over $27.25 million.
The Dubai World Cup is contested over 2,000 meters (about 1.2 miles) on a dirt track. The race attracted top Thoroughbreds worldwide, including Cigar, Dubai Millennium, Invasor, Curlin, California Chrome, and Arrogate.
Apart from the horse race, the Dubai World Cup Day also features a range of entertainment and cultural events, including fashion shows, music performances, and food festivals. Many visitors worldwide attend this event, considered one of the UAE’s premier sporting and social occasions.
If you enjoy betting on horse races besides watching the noble sport, you might have to look beyond Ireland and UKGC-licensed platforms to find competitive odds. Searching the database of Irish bookmakers not on Gamstop via Bookiesnotongamstop.com should help you find various betting options for the Dubai World Cup.
Qualifying for the Dubai World Cup
To qualify for the Dubai World Cup, jockeys and horses must meet specific criteria. Jockeys must hold a valid license from their respective racing authority and achieve a certain level of success in their racing career. Jockeys who have won major races or championships are typically invited to ride in the Dubai World Cup.
For horses, there are several ways to qualify for the race. The first is to win one of the many qualifying races held worldwide in the months leading up to the Dubai World Cup. These races are usually designated as “win, and you’re in” events, meaning the winner automatically earns a spot in the Dubai World Cup.
Another way to be eligible is through the Dubai Racing Carnival, held before the Dubai World Cup. Horses that perform well in the Carnival races often receive an invitation to compete in the Dubai World Cup.
Finally, the Dubai World Cup organisers can also invite horses to participate in the race based on their previous performances and overall reputation in the racing world.
Which Are the Favourites for the Dubai World Cup?
The Dubai World Cup consists of various events, with 153 different horses participating alone through nomination, making it a must-see spectacle for horse racing enthusiasts.
The current record for speed goes to Dubai Millennium (1:59.50), who set it in 2000 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. The only horse to win two Dubai World Cups is Thunder Snow (in 2018 and 2019). Moreover, the two most successful jockeys to participate are Jerry Bailey and Frankie Dettori, winning the World Cup four times each. Saeed bin Suroor is the most successful trainer, with nine victories.
Some horses already hold the title of favourites in the 2023 Dubai World Cup, so let’s check them out.
Algiers is a six-year-old horse that has been actively racing for the past three years. The horse is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford and owned by Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi. Â
The chestnut gelding already tested the Meydan racecourse in January and February, finishing the race first on both occasions. That’s why Algiers is the favourite for winning in the upcoming Dubai World Cup, with the odds at around 3.50. Therefore, punters who want to play it safe will back this horse.
Country Grammer
Country Grammer is a bay horse that foaled in May 2017 and has been actively racing since 2019. The horse is trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Commonwealth Thoroughbreds Llc, Winstar Farm Llc, and Zedan Racing Stables Inc.
Out of five races Country Grammer participated in, it won two and ended second in three. One of those races was the Dubai World Cup 2022, making this horse another favourite, with odds of 3.50.
Panthalassa
Panthalassa is a six-year-old horse trained by Yoshito Yahagi and owned by Hiroo Race Co Ltd. The horse started in 25 races, winning seven, and has been active since 2019.
Besides winning the Saudi Cup on February 25, 2022, another reason for its popularity is its performance last year at Meydan, where it also recorded a victory. The odds for Panthalassa winning the 2023 Dubai World Cup are at 9.00, and it’s one of the 153 nominated horses to participate in the competition this year.
Cafe Pharoah
The American-bred and Japanese-trained Thoroughbred horse foaled in March 2017 and has been active since 2019, recording seven wins along the way. The horse finished third at the Saudi Cup after Panthalassa and Country Grammer, earning the status of “probable” winner of the 2023 Dubai World Cup. The current odds for Cafe Pharoah to win the race are 12.00.
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Ushba Tesoro
Racing Post provided stats on Ushba Tesoro, showing that this six-year-old horse from Chiyoda Farm Shizunai finished first five times out of six. The only issue here is that most races took place on Japanese racecourses, meaning the horse has yet to experience racing in the middle east, let alone at the Meydan racecourse. That’s why betting sites see a potential success for the horse, giving it the odds of around 12.00.
Vela Azul
Vela Azul was born in January 2017. It’s trained by Kunihiko Watanabe and owned by Carrot Farm Co Ltd. The horse has been racing since 2020 and has recorded four wins in the last seven races in Japan.
What could be a potential red flag is Vela Azul’s last race at Nakayama racecourse and a tenth-place finish. That’s why sports betting sites give it the odds of 13.00.
