Dubai’s vision has always involved establishing the city as a global benchmark in every aspect from innovation, commerce, luxury living and a hub for international sporting events.
The Dubai World Cup (DWC) is one such marker of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai’s voracious ambitions for the event was to secure its reputation as one of the highlights on the horse racing calendar.
As such, the DWC and Meydan Racecourse were built and established with the unwavering passion, love, and devotion by a turf giant in the industry – Sheikh Mohammed.
Sheikh Mohammed laid out the blueprint with his siblings, the late Sheikh Maktoum and Sheikh Hamdan, together with Sheikh Ahmed.
They all shared a passion for horses that has kept the ball rolling on the nation’s horse-racing scene, which has soared to nearly unparalleled heights over the sport’s history.
There’s no better person to serve as the narrator of this success story than the long serving Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor as he speaks on the foundations of one of the flagship race meetings that takes place at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday and counts 29 years in the running.
Godolphin was founded in 1991 and Bin Suroor was appointed as the first trainer for the Dubai racing operation.
The Emirati took the racing world by storm when he claimed the first of his four British trainer’s championship titles in only his second year after receiving his UK trainer’s licence in 1995.
Until now, he has saddled over 2,400 winners around the world, of which more than 200 are Group or Grade 1s, highlighted by 13 English Classics, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France and the Arlington Million in the United States.
Bin Suroor is also the most successful trainer in the DWC, winning the prize nine times and the only trainer to saddle the same horse, Thunder Snow, to win the prize twice in a row in 2018 and 2019.
Bin Suroor hails from a family that has owned and bred Purebred Arabians, which is how he got acquainted with Sheikh Mohammed before being appointed the Godolphin trainer.
“The royal and affluent families owned and bred the Purebred Arabians, and they took part in the traditional races in the desert and later on racetracks in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi before racing was staged under Rules,” Bin Suroor told The National in an exclusive interview.
“I was born to a family that owned and bred the Arabian horses for generations. So I was related to horses since I was a baby and I loved them all through until now.”
It was horses that led him to cross paths with the Dubai ruling family.
“Back in the days, there were discussions to bring down thoroughbreds and begin racing big time,” Bin Suroor said.
“Thoroughbred racing was already established in Europe and the USA and the races were celebrated and possessed a rich history and traditions.
“The question arose that Dubai will never be able to go back in time to establish races that had centuries of history and traditions. The only way to make the Dubai World Cup to get the international attention was to stage the world’s richest race.”
The inaugural DWC had a prize money of $4 million, the richest race for the thoroughbreds at the time. The total prize fund now stands at a whopping $30.5 million, including the $12 million purse for the feature Dubai World Cup race.
It is the type of prize fund that has attracted some of the best equine luminaries from around the world including the entry of Cigar, the two-time American Horse of the Year.
The dark bay son of Palace Music won 16 consecutive races and ended his career with 19 wins, four seconds and placed third five times.
“Cigar was a superstar at that time and the horse coming down and winning the Dubai World Cup was a perfect advertisement for Dubai,” Bin Suroor recalls.
“Cigar’s arrival for the inaugural Dubai World Cup made headlines in the racing industry around the world. His victory set the benchmark for what was to come.
“Dubai couldn’t have wished for a better start and today the Dubai World Cup remains one of the most sought after meetings in the equestrian world. The event draws the best horses from all corners of the earth and an audience anxiously waiting for the action on the track.”
The Emirates Racing Authority was founded in 1992 and racing under Rules were first held in the 1993/94 season, which led to the meteoric rise of racing in the UAE.
“Like how Dubai started to boom as a city, racing too established itself in no time,” Bin Suroor explains.
“No sooner had the racing industry here started to grow then came the idea of staging a race that would capture the world. Many countries had their iconic races and race meetings but Dubai as a new venue could only take the world by offering the biggest prize money at the time.
“Then one thing led to another and today the Dubai World Cup attracts the best horses and is followed and watched by the racing fans from around the world.”
Wayne Mason, the travelling head lad of the Zabeel Stables, is one of the longest serving people in the UAE’s racing industry. He was lucky to have watched Cigar win the Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park on July 2, 1995.
“I had the good fortune of seeing the great Cigar complete his ninth straight victory that day,” the Chennai resident, who accompanied the Jebel Ali Stables trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam to the US with three horses, said.
“I was so excited when I heard Cigar was coming down for the Dubai World Cup. He was the hot topic among the racing circles when the news broke out.”
Mason spent 25 years as a work rider, jockey, and stable head lad at Sheikh Ahmed’s Jebel Ali Stables before moving to the Zabeel Stables following the retirement of Selvaratnam.
“Arriving in Dubai in September 1992, I never expected racing to reach the level of a Dubai World Cup and a racecourse built of such repute and prestige, and some of the best horses from around the world to come and race in Dubai,” he said.
If the inaugural DWC meeting set the world alight, what followed in the second year was a near disaster. Dubai experienced a heavy deluge of rain before the start of the opening race, leaving the track under water.
Sheikh Mohammed was personally out on the trackside to inspect the damage. He even ordered military helicopters to fan and dry the surface but it was unfortunately all in vain.
The meeting was eventually rescheduled and took place a week later with Sheikh Mohammed inviting all the international connections to extend their stay in Dubai as his guests.
With bright sunshine expected over the next couple of days, Nad Al Sheba was ready to put on a show and the race fittingly won by Singspiel, a horse owned by Sheikh Mohammed, trained by Michael Stoute and ridden by American Jerry Bailey.
“This type of preparation to have the race meeting rescheduled can only happen in Dubai under the directives of His Highness,” Bin Suroor added.
In 1998, Bin Suroor was denied success when Swain under Mick Kinane was beaten by a short head by Bob Baffert’s Silver Charm with Gary Stevens atop.
The Emirati didn’t have to wait long as he scooped the first of his nine successes with Almutawakel in the silks of the late Sheikh Hamdan and ridden by Richard Hills.
He completed back-to-back wins when Dubai Millennium under Frankie Dettori carried the Godolphin silks to win in a record time of 1mins, 59.50 secs, the first and only horse until now to run under two minutes at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.
While every winner of the DWC was special for Bin Suroor, he picked Dubai Millennium as his best, being bred by Sheikh Mohammed.
With the DWC meeting getting bigger and better every year, it became paramount to build a racecourse that could accommodate a 60,000 strong crowd.
“Meydan is a stand-out racecourse in the world,” Bin Suroor said of the facility that includes the world's first five-star trackside hotel with 285 rooms, two racetracks and the Grandstand, which consists of a racing museum and 72 corporate suites for entertaining guests throughout the year.
“Meydan provides pure luxury of watching the races from the balcony of the hotel. It’s a new experience for anyone who wants to watch the races from the hotel room.”
Tadhg O’Shea, winner of the DWC on Laurel River last year, heaped more praise on the flagship meeting and the facilities.
“For me, the Meydan Racecourse is a mesmerising place where dreams become reality,” the all-time leading jockey with 826 winners and 12 UAE jockey's titles said.
“The DWC meeting gets bigger and more prestigious year in and year out. It has attracted a worldwide audience, which I believe is the vision of Sheikh Mohammed.
“For me, the DWC meeting is a huge occasion. It's fantastic to be part of it. It has got one of the best turf tracks in the world.
“Any international jockeys that have ridden all over the world have nothing but compliments about both the turf and dirt tracks.
“The minds of those overseeing the event never sits still, they are always striving to improve, whether it's the race programme or new ideas, new initiatives, so it's forever moving forward.”
Bhupat Seemar, who became the first local trainer to win the DWC with Laurel River, lauded the event as a prestigious annual extravaganza in the world racing calendar.
“To watch and be a part of the Dubai World Cup for over 20 years and then to win it eventually was a dream come true,” he said.
“The DWC meeting has left an indelible mark on the equine world. It’s not only the highlight of the UAE season but a meeting that attracts the leading horses, trainers, owners, breeders and racing fans from all over the world.”
As part of the successful stable staff of Zabeel, Mason has watched every single race of the Dubai World Cup live and singles out Laurel River’s win last year as his most memorable moment after the Bin Suroor-trained Al Mutawakel’s victory in the silks of the late Sheikh Hamdan in 1999.
“The late Sheikh Hamdan was very supportive in the growth of racing and I always admired him as for being such a good support for everyone in the industry,” he added.
“Laurel River’s win was a very special to all the stable hands. It was awesome to be part of that celebrations and one of the most cherished moments on the job.”
Going into the weekend’s DWC meeting conspicuous in their absence in the season’s highlight and the feature event of the nine-race card is the Godolphin silks.
“It’s a tough race to win and you really need to come with a horse to challenge for the prize,” Bin Suroor said on the Dubai racing operation's absence in the race.
Bin Suroor, 56, counts over 34 years as Godolphin trainer but his passion and commitment for work remains the same. He works seven days a week throughout the year and has been adequately rewarded with numerous successes.
“I don’t consider what I do as a job. It’s the passion that drives me,” he said. “His Highness has always supported me. He’s a very generous and kind person, and his passion and love for horses is unrivalled. It’s an honour to be trainer for him.
“Every horse that won the Dubai World Cup was carefully handpicked and prepared for this race. It takes a long time to prepare them, mostly from racing on the turf and running them on the dirt surface.
“I couldn’t find a horse for this edition but hopefully be back to have another go at the prize.”
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
%3Cp%3E3.30pm%3A%20Al%20Maktoum%20Challenge%20Round%203%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20%2475%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Jugurtha%20De%20Monlau%2C%20Pat%20Dobbs%20(jockey)%2C%20Jean-Claude%20Pecout%20(trainer)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.05pm%3A%20Dubai%20City%20Of%20Gold%20%E2%80%93%20Group%202%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C410m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Global%20Storm%2C%20William%20Buick%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.40pm%3A%20Burj%20Nahaar%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Discovery%20Island%2C%20James%20Doyle%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.15pm%3A%20Nad%20Al%20Sheba%20Turf%20Sprint%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(T)%201%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Al%20Dasim%2C%20Mickael%20Barzalona%2C%20George%20Boughey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.50pm%3A%20Al%20Bastakiya%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20%24170%2C000%20(D)%201%2C900m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Go%20Soldier%20Go%2C%20Adrie%20de%20Vries%2C%20Fawzi%20Nass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E6.25pm%3A%20Al%20Maktoum%20Challenge%20Round%203%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(TB)%20%24450%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Salute%20The%20Soldier%2C%20Adrie%20de%20Vries%2C%20Fawzi%20Nass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7.10pm%3A%20Ras%20Al%20Khor%20%E2%80%93%20Conditions%20(TB)%20%24300%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Al%20Suhail%2C%20William%20Buick%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E7.45pm%3A%20Jebel%20Hatta%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(TB)%20%24350%2C000%20(T)%201%2C800m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Alfareeq%2C%20Dane%20O%E2%80%99Neill%2C%20Charlie%20Appleby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E8.20pm%3A%20Mahab%20Al%20Shimaal%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(TB)%20%24250%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Sound%20Money%2C%20Mickael%20Barzalona%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%206%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Tim%20Merlier%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20%E2%80%93%203hrs%2041min%2012sec.%3Cbr%3E2.%20Sam%20Bennett%20(GBR)%20Bora%20%E2%80%93%20Hansgrohe%20%E2%80%93%20ST%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dylan%20Groenewegen%20(NED)%20Team%20Jayco%20Alula%20%E2%80%93%20ST%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classification%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders%20%E2%80%93%209sec%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20%E2%80%93%2013sec%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%C2%A0profile
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
THE%20SPECS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Porpoise
By Mark Haddon
(Penguin Random House)
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
The%20specs
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