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Dubai World Cup: Past Winners, Stats & History

Dubai World Cup
Course:
Meydan
Dirt Course
Grade:
Group 1
Length:
1m 2f
Last Winner:
Country Grammer @ 7/1
Prize Money:
$12,000,000 (2022)

There’s plenty to look forward to for racing fans towards the end of March, with the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster signalling the return of the domestic flat season.

The biggest race of them all though comes not on these shores but over in Dubai, as Meydan plays host to its Dubai World Cup night, headlined by the $12 million big race itself.

Dubai World Cup Course Map (Dirt Course)

Meydan Flat Dirt Racecourse Map

Dubai World Cup Past Winners

Year Winner SP Trainer Jockey
2022 Country Grammer 7/1 Bob Baffert Frankie Dettori
2021 Mystic Guide 6/4 Michael Stidham Luis Saez
2020 Abandoned - - -
2019 Thunder Snow 4/1 Saeed bin Suroor Christophe Soumillon
2018 Thunder Snow 8/1 Saeed bin Suroor Christophe Soumillon
2017 Arrogate 1/3 Bob Baffert Mike Smith
2016 California Chrome 15/8 Art Sherman Victor Espinoza
2015 Prince Bishop 14/1 Saeed bin Suroor William Buick
2014 African Story 12/1 Saeed bin Suroor Silvestre De Sousa
2013 Animal Kingdom 11/2 Graham Motion Joel Rosario
2012 Monterosso 20/1 Mahmood Al Zarooni Mickael Barzalona
2011 Victoire Pisa 12/1 Katsuhiko Sumii Mirco Demuro
2010 Gloria de Campeao 16/1 Pascal Bary T. J. Pereira
2009 Well Armed 10/1 Eoin G. Harty Aaron Gryder
2008 Curlin 4/11 Steve Asmussen Robby Albarado
2007 Invasor 5/4 Kiaran McLaughlin Fernando Jara
2006 Electrocutionist 5/4 Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori
2005 Roses in May 11/8 Dale L. Romans John Valazquez
2004 Pleasantly Perfect 5/2 Richard Mandella Alex Solis
2003 Moon Ballad 11/4 Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori

About the Dubai World Cup: One of the World’s Richest Races

Racehorse at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai
Sakena, flickr

The story of Dubai is a fascinating one. Strategic decisions by the tiny Emirate to invest their oil revenues have turned Dubai into a global hub of transport, freight, tourism and entertainment. World class sporting events make up a huge part of the entertainment found in Dubai including several high calibre – not to mention incredibly lucrative – horse racing meetings.

Dubai World Cup Night is perhaps the most important of these meetings. As the name of the meeting suggests, it is headlined by the Dubai World Cup, a race that is worth $12 million. It’s run over a distance of 2,000 meters (that’s roughly 10 furlongs) at Meydan Racecourse and holds Group 1 status. The size of the prize and the prestige that comes with winning this race means that many of the biggest trainers and owners enter their leading horses into the Dubai World Cup every year.

Finally Settled After Several Changes

Horse Racing on a Dirt Track Surface

The biggest flat races in Britain have a format that is set in stone. We know that the 2000 Guineas is run over 1 mile and that the Derby takes place over 1 mile 4 furlongs for example but when you look at the early history of even those massive races you’ll see that it took a while for things like the distance, entry requirements and even the race course to be confirmed.

It should, therefore, be no surprise that it took a while for the Dubai World Cup to find a settled home given that it was only introduced in 1996. During that time it’s always been held at 10 furlongs but it was initially held at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse before the brand spanking new facilities were opened at Meydan.

The move to Meydan in 2010 was not the end of the changes for the Dubai World Cup. The first five renewals there were held on the Tapeta all weather surface that was installed at great cost. However, the costs of maintaining the Tapeta and the lack of popularity with which it was held by American trainers in particular meant that the Dubai World Cup became a dirt race once more in 2015. It’s worth noting that the race is restricted to four-year-olds and older for Northern Hemisphere horses whereas three-year-olds from the Southern Hemisphere are permitted to enter.

A Global Event

World Map

Racing organisers have come to the conclusion in recent years that they need to provide more than just top quality racing to get high numbers of fans through the doors. With all due respect to those who put on an Olly Murs concert after a summer night’s card at Newmarket, Dubai World Cup Night is on a completely different level.

Past performers at this spectacular occasion include Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson whilst the calibre of horse competing in the Dubai World Cup itself is guaranteed by one of the biggest prize purses in all of racing. It was the richest horse race in the world for some time but has lost that crown in more recent years. None the less, $12 million (£9 million) is enough to make most owners sit up and take notice.

World’s Richest Horse Races

Race Racecourse Location Prize Fund
Saudi Cup King Abdulaziz Racetrack Riyadh, Saudi Arabia £15.0 million
Dubai World Cup Meydan Meydan City, Dubai £9.0 million
The Everest Royal Randwick Sydney, Australia £8.0 million
Dubai Turf Meydan Meydan City, Dubai £4.7 million
Sheema Classic Meydan Meydan City, Dubai £4.7 million
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Longchamp Paris, France £4.5 million
Melbourne Cup Flemington Melbourne, Australia £4.4 million
Breeders’ Cup Classic Various USA £4.3 million
Japan Cup Tokyo Racecourse Tokyo, Japan £4.1 million
Arima Kinen Nakayama Racecourse Funabashi, Japan £4.1 million
Tokyo Yushun Tokyo Racecourse Tokyo, Japan £3.0 million
Breeders’ Cup Turf Various USA £2.9 million
Caulfield Cup Caulfield Melbourne, Australia £2.8 million
Cox Plate Moonee Valley Melbourne, Australia £2.8 million
Kentucky Derby Churchill Downs Kentucky, USA £2.4 million
Pegasus World Cup Gulfstream Park Florida, USA £2.3 million
Queen Elizabeth Stakes Royal Randwick Sydney, Australia £2.2 million

The riches on offer attract entries from horses around the world but it’s rare for a winner to be trained anywhere other than either the UAE or the USA. Singspiel is the only UK-trained horse to win the Dubai World Cup when he won the second edition back in 1997. Other than the French-trained Glória de Campeão and the Japanese-trained Victoire Pisa, all other winners were either American raiders or were based very close to Dubai.

Other Races of Note at Meydan

  • Dubai World Cup

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