The Dubai World Cup day stands out on the international horseracing calendar as one of the greatest meetings in the world by sheer virtue of the number of high-class races and the stakes money that can be won. There are six races on the card for thoroughbred racehorses (the first race of the evening is reserved for purebred Arabians) and 4 of those races have been given Grade 1 status. The total value of the purses is a stratospheric $21 million, the second-highest in horseracing after the Breeders Cup added three $1 million races this year to become the richest meeting at $23 million total.

The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly the Dubai World Cup itself, which we have reviewed separately. It attracts the highest-rated dirt horses from all corners of the globe and has a status independent of its monetary value. This is a new race meeting overall, designed to challenge the hegemonic status of the Breeders' Cup as a "world championship of horseracing" and it is on its way to succeeding in that aim. The strength of the fields is still not quite at the level of its major rival, but the money will ensure that they will be equal if not superior in the near future.

Dubai World Cup Meeting Racecourse	Nad Al Sheba
The Dubai World Cup Meeting is held at Nad Al Sheba. There is a 2,254m dirt track that is constantly tended to so that the going is always the same, and a 2,121m turf course for the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic and the $5 million Dubai Duty Free. Both are Grade 1 contests and along with the Breeders' Cup Classic they are the joint-second richest races in the world.
Nad Al Sheba held its first race meeting in 1992 and is the brainchild of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum who rules Dubai and is truly passionate about horseracing.

Dubai World Cup Meeting - Feature Races

Godolphin Mile (Gr. 2) - Purse US$ 1,000,000

U.A.E. Derby (Gr. 2) - Purse US$ 2,000,000

Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr. 1) - Purse US$ 2,000,000

Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr. 1) - Purse US$ 5,000,000

Dubai Duty Free (Gr. 1) - Purse US$ 5,000,000

Dubai World Cup (Gr. 1) - Purse US$ 6,000,000

Dubai World Cup Meeting - Betting

Ladbrokes Review