The drama of The Dubai World Cup - By Vivek Jain
Posted on - 31 Mar 2015
The drama of The Dubai World Cup
By Vivek Jain
In recent years having watched international racing at Royal Ascot, Epsom, Leapordstown in Ireland, Longchamp, Hong Kong at both their courses, Turkey and Singapore, a major blank was the one closest to home- Dubai. So, this year I made it a point to fly down just for the day to watch one of the world’s sporting spectacles - The Dubai World Cup, and came back impressed.
The 20th running of this mega event at Meydan, kicked off at 4pm local time and the US$ 10 million World Cup was the last race on the card at 9pm. Prior to that are five Group 1 races and three Group 2’s, with a cumulative prize money of $30 million, making it probably one of the highest pay offs on a single day, across all sport. Of course all this is possible thanks to the passion and munificence of the Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Mohammed and his love for the sport. However, every race is sponsored, with the World Cup run under the State owned Emirates banner, and Longines sponsoring the Dubai Sheema Classic. Horses from across the Northern and Southern hemispheres take part, though there is a notable lack of European runners, who are better off on Turf.
The inaugural Dubai World Cup was held at Nad Al Sheba in 1996 with a $4 million tag, the richest at the time with a world viewership of 1 billion with the mighty Cigar creating history. A new chapter was written in 2010 with the opening of the spankingly modern Meydan race track, to where the World Cup moved. Prize money for the race touched $10 million from 2010, and pales into insignificance the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, the $4.7 million Melbourne Cup and the $2.1 million Kentucky Derby.
The racecourse was finally draped in UAE colours as it was the Ruler’s brother’s Prince Bishop, an eight year old who stormed home past the raging favourite, California Chrome, who had won the first two legs of the American Triple Crown, who cost less than $30,000 to breed but is said to be worth upwards of $10 million today. Chrome, a rockstar in the equine world and who would have revelled on the dirt was caught napping by the Bishop, who was shrewdly kept behind to stay away from the kickback, which his rider the Norway born and raised William Buick, now with Goldolphin, had forecast he would do. This was the first time the race was run on the newly laid dirt surface after five years on the Tapeta and Saeed Bin Suroor, who trains for the Ruling family was winning this race for a record seventh time.
It was an enjoyable afternoon, though clearly lacking the class and elegance of Royal Ascot. We were in the Parade Ring lounge with access to the paddock, which made it very special. Endless and copious food, an open bar with pink champagne and a superb widescreen across the track made viewing a great experience. Though not many from Mumbai, both Cyrus and Zavaray Poonawalla on the table made us talk of the comparisons with Mumbai and the introduction to several top international racing guests made it worth the while.
There is no doubt Meydan sets the highest benchmark of race courses in the world. World Cup Day is quite easily the biggest night of racing on the international racing calendar. And after the action ends, the brilliant fireworks and this year the superstar Kylie Minogue’s finale show made it a show stopping experience.
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