Dubai World Cup Betting Tips - 28th March 2020

It may have lost its status as the World’s richest horse race to the new Saudi Cup event held in Saudi Arabia, but the $10 million on offer for the Dubai World Cup is still not to be sniffed at, and puts the contest miles clear of anything else. Unsurprisingly with such riches on offer, not to mention the prestige associated with this event, the global equine stars will be out in force this at Meydan on World Cup night.

About the Dubai World Cup

There are countless different race days held by many racecourses around the world, each unique in its own way. Most of them have some claim to fame, whether it be that it's the Grand National or the Kentucky Derby. None of them offer the same reason for excitement promised by the Dubai World Cup Night, however, which grabs the attention because it is the richest race day in the world.

With more than $35 million on offer to the competitors, it forms part of the wider Dubai World Cup Carnival and puts the Dubai World Cup itself at the centre of proceedings. Eight thoroughbred races and one Purebred Arabian horse race make up the night, which is hosted by Meydan Racecourse in Dubai and has been since 2010.

Dubai World Cup Day Race List

With nine races to be run during the evening in Dubai, it's hardly surprising that the meeting earns such adulation from horse racing fans not only in the United Arab Emirates but all around the world. It's not just because of the amount of money involved, though that is impressive, but also because of the quality of the racing.

Let's take a look at the race card as it was in 2019 to give you a better idea of what we're talking about.

Dubai World Cup Races in Detail

Given that the 'worst' races run on Dubai World Cup Night are the three Group 2 races, it's fair to say that there's some information about all of the events that you might want to bear in mind before considering any bets you might want to place.

Whilst it's the last race of the day, there's nowhere else to start but with the Dubai World Cup itself, given that it's the race that the event is named in honour of and is unquestionably the most prestigious of the lot.

Dubai World Cup

Held every year since 1996, the Dubai World Cup was the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates at the time. He was also the Ruler of Dubai as well as the owner of Darley Stud & Godolphin Racing, which is one of the best thoroughbred racing operations anywhere in the world. It is hosted on the last Saturday in March every year, offering a purse of $12 million since its 2019 iteration.

The Group 1 race was the richest in the world until the Pegasus World Cup overtook it in 2017 and 2018, but the move to improve the purse to $12 million helped it to regain its title. Up to 2009 it was held at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, but in 2010 this course was demolished to build Meydan in its place at the same location. It has been broadcast on American television since 2006, helping it to gain popularity in the country.

The race is for thoroughbreds aged three and up if they're from the southern hemisphere and four and over if they're from the northern hemisphere. It is run left-handed over a distance of about ten furlongs and has a weight of fifty-four and a half kilograms attached to it for three-year-olds and fifty-seven kilograms for horses aged four and over.

When it comes to records, no horse has won the Dubai World Cup more than once with the exception of Thunder Snow, who did so in 2018 and then again the following year. Jerry Bailey is the race's most successful jockey, winning the event four times, whilst Saeed bin Suroor is the most successful trainer thanks to nine wins between 1999 and 2019. Most of them came on behalf of Godolphin Racing, its most successful owners.

Dubai Kahayla Classic

Another Group 1 race, the Kahayla Classic, stands out on the Dubai World Cup Night thanks to the fact that it is the only one specifically for pure-bred Arabian horses. It began life in 1996 as the Mashreq Bank Handicap, becoming a Conditions race known as the Dubai Arabian Classic the year after. It took on its current name in 2000, which was a year after it had been upgraded to Group 1.

Open to Arabian pure-bred horses aged four and over, it's run over one mile and two furlongs. The French horse Madjani is the most successful in the race's history thanks to three wins between 2006 and 2008. They all came under the training of G Duffield, who has won the race more than any other people in his profession. Richard Hills, Peter Brette and Adrie de Vries are all jockeys who have won it more than once, with the former being the most successful jockey to date.

Godolphin Mile

First run in 1994, the Godolphin Mile is a Group 2 race that is run over one mile. Once again it has different qualification criteria depending on whether the horse is from the northern or southern hemisphere, with the following being the main information you'll want to know:

• Southern hemisphere 3-year-olds with weight information of 55 kilograms
• Northern hemisphere 4-year-olds with weight information of 57 kilograms
• Fillies and mares are given a 2 kilogram allowance

It was the Nad Al Sheba Mile when it was first run, getting a rename to its current title in 2000. The most successful jockey in the race is a familiar name to British racing fans, with Frankie Dettori racking up seven wins between 1998 and 2012. All of the wins came on horses trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who is the most successful trainer with ten wins to his name at the time of writing.

Dubai Gold Cup

Any course worth its salt has a race named the Gold Cup and Meydan Racecourse is no exception. This race is run left-handed over around two miles and is open to horses aged three and up. It has only been taking place since 2012, initially being a Group 3 offering before being promoted to Group 2 in 2014.

The race's inauguration was abandoned after the death of Fox Hunt, instead being re-run later in the evening. Christophe Soumillon won the race three times on the back of Vazirabad, who was victorious in 2016, 2017 and 2018 to become the most successful horse to date. Soumillon is obviously the most successful jockey, whilst Vazirabad's trainer, Alain de Royer-Dupre, also takes the title for best trainer in the race.

Al Quoz Sprint

A Group 1 offering that was first run in 2007, the Al Quoz Sprint was initially part of the Dubai International Racing Carnival and was moved to become part of the Dubai World Cup night when the Meydan Racecourse was built in 2010. It was made a Group 3 race the year before that and was run over around six furlongs before being shortened in 2011 and then lengthened again in 2017.

Run on the straight, it is open to horses aged three and over and has the following weight information attached:

• Northern hemisphere 3-year-olds: 54.5 kilograms
• Southern hemisphere 3-year-olds: 58 kilograms
• Horses aged 4 and over from either hemisphere: 58.5 kilograms

J J the Jet Plane is the race's most successful horse thanks to two wins in 2009 and 2011, though trained by two different people and carrying two different jockeys. As a result, no jockey has won the race more than once and only two trainers have seen their horses win the race on two occasions: Mike De Kock in 2009 and 2013 and Charlie Appleby in 2018 and 2019.

UAE Derby

Considered to be a major preparatory race for the Kentucky Derby and receiving points towards that race, the UAE Derby was created in 2000 and gained Group 2 status two years later. The organisers have struggled to decide upon the race's length, setting it at eighteen hundred metres originally, increasing it to two thousand metres in 2002, dropping it back down again in 2004 and then settling on nineteen hundred metres, or one and half furlongs, in 2010.

Limited to three-year-olds, the weight information is fifty-four and a half kilograms for those from the northern hemisphere and fifty-nine and a half kilograms for those from the southern hemisphere, with fillies given a two kilogram allowance. Christophe Soumillon is once again the most successful jockey with three wins, and the name of Saeed bin Suroor is in the record books with eight wins as a trainer.

Dubai Golden Shaheen

First run in 1993 as the Nad Al Sheba Sprint, this Group 1 race was moved to become part of the Dubai World Cup Night in 1996. It was renamed in 2000 and was given Group 1 status two years later. It has been part of the Global Sprint Series since 2012, being leg three of the ten race series.

The Dubai Golden Shaheen is run left-handed over six furlongs and is open to horses aged three and over. It's another example of a race with different qualification criteria depending on where the horses are from, with northern hemisphere three-year-olds getting a weight of fifty-five kilograms, southern hemisphere three-year-olds given fifty-eight and a half kilograms and four-year-olds and over from either hemisphere sixty kilograms.

Caller One and Mind Your Biscuits have each won the race twice, with the former horse doing so in 2001 and 2002 and the latter achieving it in 2017 and 2018. The two most recent wins came with Joel Rosario on the back, seeing him join Gary Stevens and Alex Solis on the 'most successful jockey' list with two wins apiece. Dhruba Selvaratnam, James Chapman and Chad Summers are the most successful trainers, also having two wins each.

Dubai Turf

First run on the dirt in 1996 when it was known as the Dubai Duty Free, it was originally run over one mile and two furlongs but had its length shortened when it was transferred to become a turf race in 2000. It was given its Group 1 status two years later and has been run in Meydan since 2010. It was made the second leg of the four leg Asian Mile Challenge in 2006. With a purse of $5 million at the time of writing, it and the Dubai Sheema Classic are amongst the richest turf races run anywhere in the world.

Run left-handed over one mile and one furlong, it's open to horses aged three and up if they're from the southern hemisphere and four and up if they're from the northern hemisphere. In terms of weight, the southern hemisphere three-year-olds is fifty-four and a half kilograms and four-year-olds from either hemisphere is fifty-seven kilograms. Fillies and mares are given a two kilogram allowance.

Gary Stevens and Ryan Moore share the honour of being the race's most successful jockeys, having two wins apiece. Saeed bin Suroor is once again the trainer with more wins to his name than any other, having win is six times between 1997 and 2018.

Dubai Sheema Classic

The final race we'll tell you about is the Sheema Classic, which debuted in 1998 when it was known as the Dubai Turf Classic. It was renamed to its current title two years later, then gained Group 1 status two years after that in 2002. Its $6 million dollar purse puts it up there with the Dubai Turf as being one of the richest turf races run anywhere on the planet.

Run left-handed over around one and a half miles, it is open to horses aged three if they're from the southern hemisphere and four and over if they're from the northern hemisphere. When it comes to weight, the rules are fifty-four and a half kilograms for three-year-olds and fifty-seven kilograms if they're aged four and over.

William Buick is the race's most successful jockey, winning it four times between 2010 and 2019. In terms of the best trainers, the name of Saeed bin Suroor is on the list again but this time he isn't on his own. John Gosden and Charlie Appleby both join him on the list with two wins apiece.