Doug Watson consolidated his lead in the UAE trainer’s championship with a splendid treble at Meydan on Sunday.
The seven-time champion combined with stable jockey Pat Dobbs to land the second race with Sari Dubai, the fourth with Al Nayyir, and the penultimate prize with Qareeb in the seven-race card.
Al Nayyir was winning his third race in four starts for the season. Dobbs had him well settled behind the leaders before overcoming Adrie de Vries and Withering in a dual to the finish line.
Dobbs rode a similar race on board Qareeb. He settled his mount behind Bernardo Pinheiro and Grand Dubai and the two battled it out to the end on the home stretch for the Red Stables to complete the treble.
The three winners took Watson’s tally to 26, five more than his nearest challenger Ernst Oertel.
“It was a good night’s meeting for us,” Watson said. “Qareeb had a nice race there, just off the pace. He’s a big strong horse and was coming off three weeks from his last race. He’s been pretty active and won very well.
“Al Nayyir stepped down in distance but he came on well at the end,” Watson added of the five-year-old Dubawi gelding’s victory by a length-and-a-quarter in the 2,000-metre turf handicap.
“We didn’t have an option and when I saw the pace out there I thought he wouldn’t make it. He did his job well tonight.”
Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor and Daniel Tudhope seem to have struck a fantastic partnership.
They combined to land the second of the two featured turf handicaps with Open Mind, the royal blues' only entry of the meeting.
Open Mind, making his first appearance in the Emirates, tracked the early leaders before Tudhope pressed the button to motor to the front and win from Tadhg O’Shea and Western Symphony by half-a-length.
Connor Planas, 19, finally celebrated his first win in the UAE by taking the opening race and solitary prize for the Purebred Arabians on board Helal Al Alawi’s RB Seqondtonone.
The Zabeel Stables-based apprentice was runner up three times and third five times in 41 rides in his first season in the Emirates.
Results
6pm: DVCC Metaverse – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: RB Seqondtonone, Connor Planas (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
6.35pm: DVCC Racing – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sari Dubai, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
7.10pm: DVCC Adventure – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Magic Petition, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
7.45pm: DVCC Voyage – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,000m
Winner: Al Nayyir, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.20pm: DVCC Expedition – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Open Mind, Daniel Tudhope, Saeed bin Suroor
8.55pm: DVCC Elegant Lifestyle – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Qareeb, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.30pm: DVCC.COM – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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The UAE's journey to space
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Results
5pm: Al Falah – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bshara, Richard Mullen (jockey), Salem Al Ketbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Al Dhafra – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Mualami, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
6.30pm: Al Khaleej Al Arabi – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Hawafez, Adrie de Vries, Abubakar Daud
7pm: Al Mafraq – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi
7.30pm: Al Samha – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Patrick Cosgrave, Ismail Mohammed
