Over
200 horses for Dubai racing carnival
DUBAI — Over
200 horses from 17 countries, representing over 100 international
trainers, will be competing for $31,000,000 in prize money on offer
in the 2006 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Saeed H. Al Tayer, chairman of the Dubai
Racing Club, said, “It is very exciting to see the number
of international contenders that have taken up the challenge and
come to Dubai for the Carnival.
“The eyes of the horse racing
world will be focused on Dubai for the next 11 weeks as we build
up to the world’s richest racemeeting, the Dubai World Cup.”
South African trainer Mike de Kock, winner of over $2,000,000 in
the 2005 Carnival, currently has 16 horses based in Dubai in preparation
for the Carnival which begins on Thursday.
Among the stars in the de Kock stable
is the 2004 Dubai Duty Free (Gr.I) winner Right Approach, 2004 UAE
Derby (Gr.II) hero Lundy’s Liability, Wolf Whistle, who won
the Al Rashidiya (Gr.III) in 2005, and Irridescence, a Group One
winner at Greyville Racecourse in South Africa on her last start.
A late recruit for the de Kock team
is Mullins Bay, purchased recently out of the Aidan O’Brien
stable to come to Dubai.
The Dubai International Racing Carnival
encompasses 11 racemeetings at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, beginning
on January 19 and culminating with the $21,000,000 Dubai World Cup
programme, the world’s richest race meeting, on March 25.
Such has been the success of the Dubai International Racing Carnival
that seven races have risen in status, the most notable being the
rise from Group III to Group II of the Al Fahidi Fort on February
23. With the increase in status also comes a rise in prize-money
with the 1,600 metre turf race now worth $250,000.
The Al Shindagha Sprint and Burj Nahaar
have been promoted from Listed to Group III, while the UAE Oaks,
UAE 1000 Guineas, Cape Verdi and Balanchine have all secured Listed
status.
Fellow South African trainers Herman
Brown and Dean Maroun also have a team of horses based in Dubai
and ready to do battle in the Carnival.
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