Even in retirement American Pharoah and his connections still may have a say.
Meydan Racecourse opens its doors to the world on Thursday night for the first of 10 Dubai World Cup Carnival fixtures with US$920,000 (Dh3.38 million) in prize money on offer.
Dominating the seven-race card is the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 in which Prayer For Relief will sport the same silks of the Zayat Stable that American Pharoah carried to victory in all three rounds of the US Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic last year.
Prayer For Relief floundered in his only start in Dubai last season when eighth to Tamarkuz in the Godolphin Mile on World Cup night, but was given the remainder of the year off by trainer Mike de Kock.
The eight year old reappears under Christophe Soumillon, who looks set to share his fifth successive French Jockeys’ Championship with Pierre-Charles Boudot.
Horse racing in focus:
Serena right choice, and American Pharoah not all he’s cracked up to be anyway
Numbers down at Meydan Racecourse but quality is up for Dubai World Cup Carnival
American Pharoah has retired to the breeding sheds, but his shimmering brilliance as a thoroughbred racehorse could be reflected by the efforts of Top Clearance, a US import who was fifth to Bob Baffert’s pride and joy in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in August.
American Pharoah won effortlessly that day, but Top Clearance was flat to the boards under Abel Castellano and has been given time off since that race to strengthen up for his exploits in Dubai.
The four-year-old son of Majestic Warrior, who sired Kentucky and American Oaks winner Princess Of Sylmar, arrived at Dhruba Selvaratnam’s Jebel Ali Stables at the end of September and has had a sighter of the Meydan dirt doing half speed work.
He has been revved up during the past fortnight for the 1,600m contest by his trainer, who is delighted to get his hands on such a specimen.
“I saw him in the flesh in America when he won at Monmouth Park in July,” Selvaratnam said. “I was there to buy horses that I thought would go well on the dirt surface at Meydan.
“Top Clearance is a very well-made horse and I liked him and wanted to buy him before the Haskell but the owners understandably wanted to run him there. He was a fair way behind American Pharoah but that is not such a bad run when you look at it.
“We picked up three horses in the US: Market Rally, a juvenile by Unbridled’s Song and Bluff, a four year old who will be out in the next couple of weeks.”
Selvaratnam has had a tremendous start to the season with almost half of his runners finishing in the first five and Irishman Chris Hayes is the latest rider to have the benefit of Selvaratnam’s extensive experience.
It was Hayes’s patience that sealed their burgeoning association when he waited to produce Forjatt at the last minute to win the Listed National Cup at Abu Dhabi last month. It was a stirring finish, with Hayes and Forjatt hitting the front with less than 100 metres to run.
“He is a very good rider and he does the job. He has very good hands,” Selvaratnam added.
Top Clearance’s path to victory has been made that bit easier by the fact that there is no Godolphin representative in the opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge for the first time in a decade, but the $250,000 event also will be contested by the first four home last season in Surfer, Frankyfourfingers, Haatheq and Gold City.
Surfer rarely gets the benefit of a good post position, having been drawn wide at the past two Dubai World Cup nights.
Satish Seemar’s veteran will make his 17th start at Meydan, however, by emerging from stall two under Richard Mullen. Having won on seasonal debut for the past three seasons he could easily defend his title.
Dark Emerald back at Meydan to replicate 2015 World Cup Carnival success
Meydan Racecourse unearths its turf track for the first time this season on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival and the Dubai Racing Club have been rewarded with bumper fields.
Two of the three contests staged on the grass have a reserves list, and international raiders fill the starting stalls.
In theconcluding handicap over 1,400 metres, nine of the 16 runners are from abroad, while in the 2,000-metre handicap at 9.20pm just half the field are trained in the UAE.
When the nominations were made last month British trainers made up for the biggest single international group, despite only four successful horses at last season’s Carnival in addition to Brown Panther’s Dubai Gold Cup victory on World Cup night in March.
Caspian Prince, Sir Maximillian and Belgian Bill struck for trainers Tony Carroll, Ian Williams and George Baker respectively, and Dark Emerald hit the mark twice and is back for more in the final race of the night for Brendan Powell.
Powell trains just 35 horses at his British base, and 10 of those are National Hunt horses so Dark Emerald’s exploits in Dubai powered his Lambourn stable through the year.
All in, Dark Emerald earned Dh894,240 at the Carnival, whereas in Britain last season the rest of Powell’s stable accumulated Dh781,318.
“There are always one or two horses that blossom throughout the Carnival and Dark Emerald was definitely one of those,” Powell said. “Everybody had heard about his exploits when we got back to Britain.
“It is great prize money out here and great for the owners. The exposure didn’t get us more horses, mind you.”
Dark Emerald starts off the season rated only marginally higher than when last in Dubai, following a strong summer when he was required to give weight to classy horses such as Kodi Bear and Godolphin’s Richard Pankhurst.
ALSO READ: Trainer Roger Varian rules out several runners for Dubai World Cup Carnival
Powell reports him to be ready to go and as fit as when he was just touched off in a blanket finish at Meydan 12 months ago.
He is joined in Dubai by stablemate Beach Bar, who Powell bought for 30,000gns in October with a dirt campaign at the Carnival in mind.
The five-year-old son of Irish Champion Stakes winner Azamour starts off his campaign in the Longines Conquest Classic Ladies over 1,900 metres.
“Justin Byrne of the Emirates Entertainment Racing Club wanted half of Beach Bar so we will see how that goes,” Powell said. “He handles the all-weather and has liked training on the dirt since he arrived last week.
“It might be a furlong too far but there are plenty of opportunities for him.”
Five to watch out for at Meydan on Thursday
Bigg N Rich 7pm, Al Maktoum Challenge
Alongside Surfer and Faulkner, Bigg N Rich is the only other horse in action tonight who won on this card 12 months ago. Ali Rashid Al Raihe’s nine year old beat Af Lefeh and Sha’Red in the opening round of the Al Maktoum for Purebred Arabians, both of whom reoppose, and should be primed to defend his title after finishing sixth on his seasonal bow last month.
My Catch 7.35pm, Longines Conquest Classic
Took beautifully to the dirt last time as a runaway winner of a handicap last month. The son of Camacho has a grabby action that suits the surface and should improve for his second go on it. Pat Dobbs had the benefit of the rail last time but has options from Gate 5 tonight.
Morawij 8.10pm, Longines Dolce Vita Collection
Morawij has slowly been nursed back to a semblance of his best at Dhruba Selvaratnam’s Jebel Ali base and returns to turf in the 1,000-metre sprint for the first time since August 2014.
Pearl Nation 8.45pm, Al Maktoum Challenge
Five of the six syndicate owners of Pearl Nation are former employees of Timeform, the English ratings service. The seven year old has had the Dubai World Cup Carnival as an aim for over a year and will run at Meydan at least three times this winter. He should be watched throughout the Carnival.
Code Of Honour 9.20pm, Longines Master Collection
Saeed bin Suroor has shown time and again that he is one of he leading trainers on the world stage. He will have to be if Code Of Honour is to visit the winner’s enclosure. The six year old has not raced for 447 days but was good enough to push subsequent Dubai Duty Free runner-up Vercingetorix to within half a length in his pomp.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
AL%20BOOM
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Mission%3A%20Impossible%20-%20Dead%20Reckoning%20Part%20One
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Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Everton (Rooney 45 1')
Man of the Match Phil Jagielka (Everton)
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s