African Story will face eight rivals in his bid to defend his crown when the world's richest race, the Dubai World Cup, is run at Meydan Racecourse on March 28.
His trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, will have a second runner in the US$10 million (Dh36.7m) race, with Prince Bishop also entered. Bin Suroor, the Godolphin trainer, will be seeking his seventh victory in the race, the final event on Dubai World Cup night.
The UAE will be represented by a third runner in the form of Doug Watson’s American import Candy Boy.
The US will rely on horse-of-the-year California Chrome and Lea, the Donn Handicap runner-up.
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Japan also will have two horses, Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, who sent Victoire Pisa to the Gulf to win the World Cup in 2011, and Hokko Tarumae, who was last 12 months ago on the Tapeta surface which has since been replaced by dirt.
With former American horse Ron The Greek, who has been racing in Saudi Arabia, and British challenger Side Glance the only other horses entered it will be the smallest group of horses to take part in the World Cup since Invasor beat six others in 2007. Eight horses ran in 1999 and nine the year before, the other two occasions the field has been in single figures.
Despite the lack of numbers in Dubai’s feature event, eight of the nine runners in the World Cup are Group 1 winners, a fact not lost on the Dubai Racing Club’s Martin Talty.
“We are very happy with the fields that have been lined up for races on Dubai World Cup day this year,” the international manager said. “Across the entire card we have 31 Group or Grade 1 winners from 12 countries and we look forward to a huge day of racing for the 20th renewal of the world’s richest race day.”
Despite a substantial increase in prize money, from $5m to $6m, to the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf, both turf races will have fields of modest size.
According to final projected fields released yesterday by the Dubai Racing Club, the Dubai Sheema Classic will have 10 runners and the Dubai Turf will have 11.
Only in 2012 have there been so few runners in the Sheema Classic, and the most recent year when the Dubai Turf had fewer than 11 was 2005.
Reynaldothewizard will not defend his title in the Dubai Golden Shaheen; Satish Seemar’s nine-year-old was missing from the entries to the $2m dirt sprint.
Reynaldothewizard has won both starts this season, including the Al Shindagha Sprint last month, but missed Super Saturday.
Five Group 1 winners have been entered for the 1,200-metre dash, with 2012 Golden Shaheen victor Krypton Factor back for more after finding Reynaldothewizard too good in the Al Shindagha.
American Grade 1 winners Big Macher and Secret Circle have been charged with returning the Golden Shaheen to the US for the first time since Benny The Bull in 2008. Hong Kong raiders Lucky Nine and Rich Tapestry will also run.
Hong Kong’s Amber Sky is a confirmed runner in the Al Quoz Sprint, and will defend the title he won in record time last season alongside fellow Hong Kong runners Bundle Of Joy and Peniaphobia.
Amber Sky is one of three Group 1 winners in the race, with Sole Power and Mike de Kock’s Via Africa the only other victors at the highest level.
Prize money for the nine races on March 28 has been raised to $29,250,000, as the Dubai World Cup remains the sport’s richest day.
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Dark Souls: Remastered
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GAC GS8 Specs
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BMW M5 specs
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