As the UAE celebrates its Golden Jubilee, horse racing has reached global fame owing to the country’s expertise in racing operations as owners and breeders.
Meydan Racecourse - Dubai's flagship venue - is world renowned as a venue that hosts the world’s richest race meeting – the Dubai World Cup – a nine-race card that draws equine luminaries from around the world. The prize fund for the 2022 Dubai World Cup meeting organiszed by Dubai Racing Club is a staggering $30.5 million.
Godolphin, the Dubai-based racing operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, is the world’s leading owner-breeder of thoroughbreds.
Established in 1992, Godolphin now spans four continents with operations in Dubai, Europe, Australia, Japan and the United States.
They celebrate winners almost every day. At the time of writing, they have saddled 7,164 winners, including 360 Group or Grade 1 prizes.
The name Godolphin is derived from Godolphin Barb and their breeding operation is named the Darley Stud, two of the founding Arabian sires of the modern thoroughbred Godolphin Barb (born in 1724) and Darley Arabian (1703). Bayerly Turk (1684) is the other.
During his studies in Cambridge, Sheikh Mohammed attended his first race meeting at Newmarket to watch Royal Palace win the 2000 Guineas in May 1967.
Fast forward 10 years and his own involvement with international racing began with the filly Hatta, who gave him his first success at Brighton, on June 20, 1977, and then went on to win the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood the following month.
Sheikh Mohammed’s passion for horses grew into a major bloodstock operation and has resulted in the world’s largest and successful racing team, Godolphin, as well as the successful stallion operation, Darley.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid does a dance as Thunder Snow ridden by Christophe Soumillon wins the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, right, holds Thunder Snow which was ridden by Christophe Soumillon after winning the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Christophe Soumillon celebrates winning the Dubai World Cup. Reuters -
Thunder Snow wins in a photo finish. Reuters -
Thunder Snow ridden by Christophe Soumillon during the Dubai World Cup. Reuters -
William Buick celebrates winning the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic on Old Persian. Reuters -
The huge crowds at Meydan. Reuters -
Old Persian ridden by William Buick wins the Dubai Sheema Classic. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Almond Eye ridden by Christophe Lemaire wins the Dubai Turf. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Spectators take photos of winner Almond Eye. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
X Y Jet ridden by Emisael Jaramillo wins the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Plus Que Parfait ridden by Jose Ortiz won the 5th horse race UAE Derby 1900m dirt. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, left, listen to William Buick after Blue Point wins the Al Quoz Sprint. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Blue Point ridden by William Buick wins the Al Quoz Sprint. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid looks happy as Cross Counter ridden by William Buick wins the Dubai Gold Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Cross Counter won the 3rd horse race Dubai Gold Cup 3200m turf. Pawan Singh / The National -
Coal Front ridden by Jose Ortiz wins the Godolphin Mile. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A groundsmen prepares the sand prior to a race. Getty Images -
AF Maher ridden by Tadhg O'Shea wins the Dubai Kahayla Classic during the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People arrive for the Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Trophies of all the nine horse races on display before the start of Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
From left: Christina and Mona at the Sisters stand doing makeup before the start of Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
A model stands before the start of Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
A trophy is on display at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - March 30, 2019: Different trophies on display at the Dubai World Cup. Saturday the 30th of March 2019 at Meydan Racecourse, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A trophy is on display at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People look at the race cards before the start of Dubai World Cup held at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Fhulu Badugela enjoys her day at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A man wears tartan trousers at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People study the form and mark their race cards at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors are entertained by performance artists at the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People study the form and mark their race cards at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Visitors are entertained by performance artists at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People study the form and mark their race cards at the Dubai World Cup. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Today, Godolphin horses winter in Dubai and are prepared for the Dubai World Cup Carnival as well as the Dubai World Cup itself.
While Sheikh Mohammed’s racing operation is world renown, the Dubai Ruler himself rode and promoted the Arabian horse for endurance riding – long distance races ranging from 100-180km.
He has won several events, including gold at the World Endurance Championship.
The Purebred Arabians take a prominent place in the culture and heritage of the country and Arabian racing is promoted worldwide, an initiative of the UAE's founding father, Sheikh Zayed.
The President of the UAE Cup is currently in its 28th edition. It is a race series held across Europe, the US and the Middle East to encourage the breeding of the species.
“Most affluent homes in the UAE had horses and camels, and they raced them in makeshift or open desert areas during festivities and special functions like weddings,” Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah, an owner/breeder of the Purebred Arabians and a four-time UAE champion owner, said.
“We had Arabian horses at home and that’s how I came to love them and later started a breeding operation for races,” Al Naboodah, who has more than 100 Arabians currently in training, added.
Emirati trainers Ali Rashid Al Raihe and Musabah Al Muhairi raced Arabians in the open desert during their childhood.
“Long before horse racing came under Racing Rules, we used to race in the open desert,” Al Raihe, 73, recalled.
“Such races and horse riding are still widely practiced. It’s a tradition in the country to conduct races in open areas and also ride long distances in the desert as a past time.
“When we were kids, we use to go out pulling a harrow attached to our vehicles to prepare a track for the horses to exercise them and prepare them for these traditional races.
“That was for pure fun at that time. We rode bareback and we didn’t go to riding schools. Horse racing is now well established both for the thoroughbreds and the Purebred Arabians.
“The UAE arguably holds the biggest number of races for the Arabians. Today the breed is better recognised in the flat racing world and as endurance horses.”
On Sunday, Abu Dhabi will host its biggest meeting of the season, a seven-race card highlighted by the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown for Purebred Arabians.
The Emirates Racing Authority was founded in 1992 and conducted races under the Racing Rules.
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A man studies form in the rain at the second Dubai World Cup at the Nad Al Sheba racecourse in 1997. Julian Herbert / Allsport -
Singspiel shown with jockey Jerry Bailey after winning the second Dubai World Cup in 1997. Singspiel was the first winning horse for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. BK Bangash / AP -
Nad Al Sheba racecourse shown during the fourth running of the Dubai World Cup in 1999. Julian Herbert / Allsport -
Race-goers sit on a hill to watch the fourth Dubai World Cup in 1999 at Nad Al Sheba racecourse. Julian Herbert / Allsport -
Jockey Frankie Dettori rides Dubai Millennium to the win at the fifth Dubai World Cup in 2000, with a still-record time of 1min 59.50secs. d -
Electrocutionist riden by jockey Frankie Dettori wins the Dubai World Cup in 2006, the 11th running of the race which by that time had seen its grand prize grow to US$6 million. Scott Barbour / Getty Images -
Well Armed ridden by jockey Aaron Gryder wins the 14th Dubai World Cup in 2009 at the last running of the race at Nad Al Sheba racecourse. Kamran Jebreili / AP -
Brazilian jockey Tiago Pereira, right, leads Gloria De Campeao to win the 15th Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in 2010. Marwan Naamani / AFP -
Spectators watch the 18th Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in 2013. Sarah Dea / The National -
Animal Kingdom ridden by Joel Rosario wins the 18th running of the Dubai World Cup in 2013. Razan Alzayani / The National -
The crowd enjoy the fireworks at the 19th Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse last year. Jaime Puebla / The National -
A race goer shows off her hat at last year's Dubai World Cup. Jaime Puebla / The National -
African Story ridden by Silvestre De Sousa wins the 2014 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. Warren Little / Getty Images -
Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Sousa, centre, celebrates after winning the 19th Dubai World Cup for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid last year with African Story. Marwan Naamani / AFP
Prior to that, Dubai hosted its first race meeting in 1981 at a Camel Track, which was organised by Sheikh Mohammed. Three races took place – a sprint, a mile race and a contest over a mile-and-a-half.
Dubai Racing Club was established in 1992 to develop the sport in the city. Later that year, Nad Al Sheba Racecourse was opened, attracting some of the best jockeys in the world including Lester Piggott and Willie Carson.
The biggest breakthrough for racing in Dubai came in 1996 when the Dubai World Cup was launched.
The Meydan Racecourse was opened in March 2010 and replaced Nad Al Sheba as the home of the Dubai World Cup.
The venue can host up to 60,000 spectators and is home to a horse racing museum and a grandstand that stretches over a mile. The 2022 Dubai World Cup is slated for March 26.
