Preparations for the 2026 Dubai World Cup are going ahead as scheduled, organisers said, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has seen the UAE come under daily attack since February 28.
“The 30th Dubai World Cup will take place as scheduled at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, 28 March 2026,” Dubai Racing Club said in response to a series of questions by The National.
“Preparations continue as planned and we look forward to welcoming guests and the racing community for the event.”
Known as the richest night in horse racing, the Dubai World Cup pits the world's best horses across nine races, with a total prize purse of $30.5 million.
The feature Dubai World Cup race boasts the highest single race purse of the event, with the winner walking away with $12 million.
The event is a highlight on the UAE sporting and social calendar. Multimillion-selling artist Jason Derulo will headline the after-show gig this year.
Racing at Meydan Racecourse has continued despite the ongoing threat caused by Iranian missiles fired at the UAE and other Gulf countries by Tehran.
On February 28, the day Iran first launched its attacks, Dubai's premier track hosted Super Saturday, the traditional dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup. The event was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai and owner of Godolphin, one of the biggest operations in racing. He watched Rebel's Romance take the honours in the Dubai City Of Gold race.
The final meeting of the five-month-long Dubai Racing Carnival takes place at Meydan this Friday.
Japanese raider Forever Young, who missed out on clinching a Saudi Cup-Dubai World Cup double last year, is already in the country looking to go one better in the $12 million main event, as is stablemate American Stage.
“Forever Young and American Stage are doing light canters alongside the main track, completing their usual training,” The X account of Yoshito Yahagi racing stable posted last week.
Godolphin Mile hopeful Banishing is also in Dubai, trainer David Jacobson confirmed, having shipped over from competing in the Saudi Cup in February.
“The racing and everything is right on schedule, as far as I know,” Jacobson said. “Everything is going forward as scheduled. That’s what we’re hearing.
“It’s a turbulent time. We’re very cautiously concerned.”
However, several prominent entries slated to take part have already been withdrawn, while connections of European-trained horses say they are monitoring the conflict.
Hit Show, winner of last year's $12m Dubai World Cup, was scheduled to fly to Dubai on March 14 to defend his title, although those plans are now in doubt.
“I don’t know if that will happen,” trainer Brad Cox told BloodHorse Monday podcast on March 2. “We’re preparing as if it will right now. We’ll just kind of monitor things and see how things unfold over the next few weeks.”
2025 Dubai World Cup – in pictures
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Hit Show, ridden by Florent Geroux, won the Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, April 5, 2025. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Florent Geroux after guiding Hit Show to victory at the Dubai World Cup -
Hit Show wins the $12 million Dubai World Cup -
First Classs, ridden by Connor Beasley, won the Dubai Kahayla Classic -
Dubai Future, ridden by Silvestre De Susa, was victorious in the Dubai Gold Cup -
Raging Torrent, under Frankie Dettori, triumphed in the Godolphin Mile -
Believing, ridden by William Buick, won the Al Quoz Sprint during the Dubai World Cup -
Admire Daytona wins the UAE Derby at Meydan -
Dark Saffron clinched the Dubai Golden Shaheen -
Soul Rush won a tense race in the Dubai Turf -
Danon Decile, under Keita Tosaki, won Dubai Sheema Clasic -
A prize pot of $30.5 million was up for grabs across nine races at the Dubai World Cup
However, Derek Ryan, trainer of champion sprinter Book’em Danno, said the New Jersey-bred gelding would not ship for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night.
“We had planned on going to Dubai, but that’s out of the question now,” Ryan told Daily Racing Form. “Everything had been done. All the arrangements were being made and, all of a sudden, we had to pull the plug.”
Last week, it was confirmed Shadai Race Horse Company's Masquerade Ball and Jantar Mantar would not travel from Japan to Meydan for their intended starts in the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf. Win Co, owner of Win Carnelian, also confirmed their horse would not travel.
Others said they were monitoring the situation and would take a decision closer to World Cup night.
Leading Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien had planned to send Al Riffa, another aimed at the Sheema Classic, and Sons And Lovers, winner of the Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia last month, to join stablemate Aeronautic, who raced in Dubai earlier this month but has now returned to Europe.
“We plan to have three or four runners at the Dubai World Cup. We had Aeronautic, who was out there with Shane Crosse, in Dubai recently,” O'Brien said.
“He ran there last week, but both he and Shane flew home within the past couple of days. We are just monitoring the situation between now and World Cup night because things could relax or escalate. We are in communication with the Dubai Racing Club and the horses are not due for shipping until later this month, so we can make a decision closer to the time.”
Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs, said several horses were already in Dubai but that a decision on whether to send the Francis Graffard-trained Calandagan to Dubai would be made only a week before the big night at Meydan.
“We currently have two horses and a number of staff based in Dubai,” she said. “Rayevka, who is trained by Francis Graffard, and Alakazi, trained by Johnny Murtagh, are both in Dubai. And then we have the prospect of running Calandagan. If he does go, he doesn't ship until the 21st of this month, so we are waiting to see what happens and will see how we feel about the whole situation close to the time.”
Hong Kong’s Dennis Yip, whose sprinter Fast Network is entered in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, told Idol Horse that they still had another week before making a decision “so we’re watching the news closely”.
Group 1 February Stakes winner Costa Nova, an intended runner in the Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night, is another whose connections are waiting to see if the conflict eases.
Katsunori Arayama, trainer of Diktaean, one of the favourites for the headline Dubai World Cup, told Japanese media it would be “a huge pity” if the eight-year-old is not at Meydan on March 28.
