At Meydan Racecourse‭, ‬the beating heart of UAE horse racing‭, ‬anticipation is building for a landmark moment‭: ‬the 30th edition of‭ ‬the‭ $‬12‭ ‬million Dubai World Cup‭ (‬Group 1‭) - ‬a race that was born from the bold vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum‭, ‬Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE‭, ‬Ruler of Dubai‭, ‬a towering figure in international horse racing‭.‬

Over three decades ago‭, ‬his ambition to place Dubai at the forefront of global horse racing set in motion a journey that has transformed the emirate into one of the sport's most prestigious and celebrated destinations‭.‬

As the 2025–2026‭ ‬Dubai Racing Carnival bursts into life on November 7‭ ‬at the iconic racecourse‭, ‬owners‭, ‬trainers and jockeys are gearing up‭ ‬for five months of elite competition that will culminate in the richest night of racing on March 28‭, ‬2026‭.‬

Previously called the Dubai International Racing Carnival and Dubai World Cup Carnival‭, ‬the Dubai Racing Carnival was restructured to its present name in 2022‭, ‬where it now covers the full Meydan season from November to March‭.‬

Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum‭, ‬Chairman of Dubai Racing Club‭, ‬described the move as a way to‭ ‬“boost Dubai's strategic position as a regional centre for horse racing sports and a favourite racing destination‭.‬”

That sentiment is echoed by Ali Al Ali‭, ‬CEO of Dubai Racing Club‭, ‬who said‭:,‬“We are extremely proud of the growth of both the Dubai World Cup and Dubai Racing Carnival over the past three decades‭. ‬

“Under the guidance of our leaders‭, ‬we are working hard to ensure that we fulfil their visions and make the 30th Dubai World Cup a truly unforgettable experience for both horse racing professionals and race fans‭.‬”

This modern expansion builds on a legacy that began three decades ago‭, ‬when American superstar Cigar stormed down the straight at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse‭, ‬the birthplace of Dubai's racing dreams‭, ‬to win the inaugural‭ $‬4‭ ‬million Dubai World Cup in 1996‭, ‬in an electrifying battle with multiple graded stakes‭ ‬winner Soul of the Matter that instantly elevated the race to its highest levels‭.‬

That unforgettable showdown carried with it Dubai's soaring ambition to stand proud among the sport's most highly-regarded racing destinations at Ascot‭, ‬Longchamp‭, ‬Churchill Downs‭, ‬and Flemington‭. ‬Since that epic contest‭, ‬Dubai‭ ‬has built one of the most remarkable sporting legacies of the modern flat-racing era‭.‬

Today‭, ‬Meydan stands as the crown jewel of that legacy‭, ‬a modern state-of-the-art arena where the world's finest come to compete beneath dazzling floodlights‭. ‬

The new season features 16‭ ‬race meetings‭, ‬each boasting competitive fields and enhanced prize money‭, ‬and will reach its crescendo on March 28‭, ‬2026‭, ‬when the 30th Dubai World Cup meeting‭, ‬an evening packed with nine glittering contests‭, ‬is staged for a staggering total purse of‭ $‬30.5‭ ‬million‭.‬

A season built on vision

For Mohammad Al Shehhi‭, ‬General Manager and Board Member of the Emirates Racing Authority‭ (‬ERA‭) ‬this new season represents both‭ ‬a celebration and a renewal of purpose‭.‬

“We are very‭, ‬very excited about the new season‮...‬‭ ‬we have 60‭ ‬new owners‭, ‬nine new trainers‭, ‬and the horse population increased by‭ ‬around 10‭ ‬per cent from last year‭,‬”‭ ‬he said‭. ‬“Horse racing in Dubai‭, ‬specifically at Nad Al Sheba and now Meydan‭, ‬started big‮...‬‭ ‬we had the ambition to create something strong‭ ‬and lasting‭. ‬Today‭, ‬we have arguably one of the best‭ ‬racecourses in the world‭, ‬and the Dubai World Cup is one of the top race meetings globally‭.‬”

Under his astute stewardship‭, ‬Dubai's racing ecosystem has continued to expand its global footprint by introducing new initiatives‭, ‬enhancing transparency‭, ‬and embracing international best practices that keep the UAE at the forefront of the sport‭.‬

Raising the bar‭: ‬Integrity and innovation

At the heart of this evolution lies a firm commitment to integrity and fairness‭. ‬Earlier this year‭, ‬the ERA launched a new Investigation Unit within its Integrity and Regulation Department‭, ‬a major step forward for the sport in the UAE‭.‬

Sam Shinsky‭, ‬Chief Steward and Head of Integrity and Regulation at the ERA‭, ‬has played a pivotal role in shaping this initiative‭.‬

“We're always striving to evolve and align with the best standards in world racing‭,‬”‭ ‬says Shinsky‭. ‬“The new Investigation Unit is active throughout the year‭, ‬not just on race days‭. ‬Its goal is to ensure compliance‭, ‬welfare‭, ‬and‭ ‬integrity across every aspect of racing‭, ‬from stable management to medication control‭.‬”

Shinsky explains that the unit's establishment‭, ‬complete with regulatory and veterinary expertise‭, ‬places the ERA on par with leading global authorities like the British Horseracing Authority‭ (‬BHA‭), ‬The Jockey Club‭ (‬USA)m‭, ‬France Gallop‭, ‬and Racing Australia‭.‬

For Shinsky‭, ‬who has spent decades in the steward's room and around the paddocks of some of the world's leading racecourses‭, ‬this mission is deeply personal‭.‬

“I've always loved this sport‭; ‬the horses‭, ‬the people‭, ‬the passion‭,‬”‭ ‬he says‭. ‬“And every year‭, ‬seeing new talent emerge‭, ‬new owners join‭, ‬and the season build toward the World Cup‮...‬‭ ‬it never loses its magic‭.‬

Expanding horizon and building bridges

While integrity forms the backbone of racing‭, ‬it is international collaboration that fuels Dubai's enduring success story‭.‬

David O'Farrell‭, ‬Assistant Manager of International Relations at the Dubai Racing Club‭, ‬is a co-architect of that vision‭, ‬working alongside former top trainer Erwan Charpy‭, ‬who heads the department‭.‬

Fresh from a global outreach campaign that has taken him and his team from Royal Ascot to France's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe‭, ‬O'Farrell's mission is simple‭: ‬to bring the best horses‭, ‬trainers‭, ‬and owners to Dubai‭.‬

“This year‭, ‬our focus has been on strengthening personal connections with the international racing community‭,‬”‭ ‬he says‭. ‬“We've gone directly to the trainers‭, ‬not just through agents‭, ‬because it builds trust and long-term relationships‭.‬”

The results are already tangible‭. ‬The 2025–26‭ ‬season welcomes an expanded international lineup‭, ‬including early arrivals for the Dubai Racing Carnival‭, ‬the earliest on record‭, ‬which will see several international runners face the starter at the opening meeting on November 7‭.‬

“This is the first time international horses have arrived before the opening meeting‭,‬”‭ ‬O'Farrell notes‭. ‬“It shows the level of confidence and enthusiasm trainers have for racing here‭.‬”

The calendar features 16‭ ‬race days under the Dubai Racing Carnival banner‭, ‬offering new‭ ‬“win and you're in”‭ ‬opportunities that link to global showcases such as the Breeders'‭ ‬Cup and the Kentucky Derby in America‭. ‬

Meydan Racecourse will play a bigger role in Kentucky Derby aspirations with two additional races on the enhanced Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby series‭. ‬The Group 3‭ ‬UAE 2000‭ ‬Guineas and the Listed Road to the Kentucky Derby‭ (‬formerly Al Bastakiya‭) ‬will award qualifying points for the 2nd May 2026‭ ‬Derby at Churchill Downs‭. ‬The series will culminate with the Group 2‭ ‬UAE Derby‭ ‬on Dubai World Cup day‭, ‬with two invitations going to the top point earners on the European/Middle East leaderboard‭.‬

“We are delighted that there are now two more opportunities for horses who race in Dubai to achieve the dream of running in the Kentucky Derby‭ ‬–‭ ‬one of the world's most celebrated races‭,‬”‭ ‬said Ali Al Ali‭.‬

“This recognition underscores Dubai Racing Club's position as a leading force in global Thoroughbred racing‭. ‬Hosting this partnership at Meydan Racecourse reinforces our role as an international hub for excellence‭. ‬The Kentucky Derby represents the pinnacle of our sport‭, ‬and we are proud that Dubai's races will now serve as a pathway to its storied starting gate‭,‬”‭ ‬he added‭.‬

A season of growth and global momentum

The growth extends beyond the track‭. ‬Leading international owners‭, ‬including Wathnan Racing‭, ‬the racing arm of Qatar's Royal stable operation‭ (‬Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani‭), ‬has quickly risen to global prominence‭, ‬highlighted by their horse Hit Show's victory in the‭ $‬12 million 2025‭ ‬Dubai World Cup at Meydan‭. ‬They have established a new satellite stable at Meydan with 20‭ ‬high-quality horses sourced from Qatar‭, ‬America‭, ‬and Europe‭.‬

“They're bringing both turf and dirt horses capable of competing across the UAE's major races‭,‬”‭ ‬says O'Farrell‭. ‬“Having a powerhouse like Wathnan Racing based here adds real depth to the local scene and strengthens our global standing‭.‬”

With increased prize money‭, ‬an enriched racing calendar‭, ‬and the return of leading handlers like champion trainers Doug Watson‭, ‬Bhupat Seemar‭, ‬Musabbeh Al Mheiri and Ahmad bin Harmash‭, ‬the stage is set for a thrilling and fiercely competitive season‭.‬

How Dubai built a racing empire

However‭, ‬Dubai's rise to global racing prominence began over three decades ago‭, ‬long before Meydan's towering grandstand existed‭. ‬The first official race meeting under internationally recognised rules took place on March 4‭, ‬1992‭, ‬at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse‭. ‬Modest by today's standards‭, ‬it was historic‭: ‬for the first time‭, ‬racing in the UAE was regulated by the Emirates Racing Authority‭ (‬ERA‭), ‬formed‭ ‬in 1990‭ ‬to formalise the sport‭.‬

Before then‭, ‬racing was largely informal‭, ‬held on desert tracks in Dubai and Sharjah without standardised rules and a jockey's weighing scale on loan from the Dubai Airport‭. ‬The 1992‭ ‬meeting marked the shift from amateur endeavour to institution‭, ‬laying‭ ‬the foundations for the Dubai Racing Club‭, ‬the Dubai International Jockeys'‭ ‬Challenge‭, ‬and eventually the Dubai World Cup‭.‬

“The ambition was always to put Dubai on the world racing map‭,‬”‭ ‬recalls Ali Khamis Al Jafleh‭, ‬the first Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club‭. ‬“From those early days at Nad Al Sheba‭, ‬we wanted to create something truly global‭.‬

“The first Jockeys'‭ ‬Challenge in 1993‭ ‬was our statement to the world that Dubai was serious about racing‭,‬”‭ ‬added Al Jafleh‭. ‬“Bringing together riders from across the globe showed the ambition we had‭, ‬and just three years later‭, ‬with the launch of the Dubai World Cup‭, ‬that vision became reality‭.‬”

As preparations intensify for the 30th Dubai World Cup on March 28‭, ‬2026‭, ‬excitement is mounting across the racing community‭. ‬The race that began as Sheikh Mohammed's audacious vision has evolved into one of the most prestigious and valuable meetings on the planet‭.‬

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