Dubai Turf Explained

Surface:Turf
Class:Group One
Horse Race:Dubai Turf
Location:Meydan Racecourse
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Inaugurated:1996
Race Type:Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website:Dubai World Cup
Distance:1,800 metres
Track:Left-handed
Qualification:Northern Hemisphere 4yo+ & Southern Hemisphere 3yo+
Weight:SH 3yo: 54.5kg.
NH & SH 4yo+: 57kg. Allowance fillies and mares 2kg
Purse:US$6 million

The Dubai Turf, known as Dubai Duty Free 1996 to 2014. is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates for four-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,800 metres (1 mile 1 furlong) on the turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai during the Dubai World Cup Night in March.

It was first run in 1996 on dirt, with a distance of 2,000 metres (1 mile 2 furlongs). It was transferred to turf, and a distance of 1,777 metres, in 2000. The race attained Group 1 status in 2002. The name of the race is taken from its sponsors, Dubai Duty Free. Between 1996 and 2009 it was run at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. Since 2010 it has been run in Meydan, where it is run at 1,800 metres.

In 2006, the race became the second leg of the four race Asian Mile Challenge.

The race currently offers a purse of US$5 million, which places it and the Dubai Sheema Classic among the richest races on turf in the world.[1] [2]

From 2015, DP World Signs sponsorship with Meydan Group, the race name renamed to Dubai Turf.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 1,800 metres and Meydan Racecourse)

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
1996Key of Luck5Gary StevensKiaran McLaughlinSaeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum2:03.77
1997Tamayaz5Frankie DettoriSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin Racing2:02.20
1998Annus Mirabilis6Gary StevensSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin Racing2:04.32
1999Altibr4Richard HillsSaeed bin SuroorHamdan Al Maktoum2:00.79
2000Rhythm Band4Ted DurcanSaeed bin SuroorRashid Al Maktoum1:48.60
2001Jim And Tonic7Gerald MosseFrançois DoumenJohn D. Martin & Roger Barby1:47.83
2002Terre a Terre5Christophe SoumillonEric LibaudMmes H. Devin & B. Ashbrooke1:48.75
2003Ipi Tombe4Kevin SheaMike de KockTeam Valor et al.1:47.61
2004Right Approach (dh)
Paolini (dh)
5
7
Weichong Marwing
Eduard Pedroza
Mike de Kock
Andreas Wöhler
Bernard Kantor et al.
Carde Ostermann-Richter
1:49.36
2005Elvstroem5Nash RawillerTony VasilElvstroem Syndicate1:50.54
2006David Junior4Jamie SpencerBrian J. MeehanRoldvale Ltd & Gold Group Int'l1:49.65
2007Admire Moon4Yutaka TakeHiroyoshi MatsudaRiichi Kondo1:47.94
2008Jay Peg5Anton MarcusHerman BrownM. Shirtliff et al.1:46:20
2009Gladiatorus4Ahmed AjtebiMubarak bin ShafyaMansoor Al Maktoum1:46.92
2010Al Shemali6Royston FfrenchAli Rashid Al RaiheMansoor Al Maktoum1:50.84
2011Presvis7Ryan MooreLuca CumaniLeonidas Marinopoulous1:50.21
2012Cityscape6James DoyleRoger Charlton1:48.65
2013Sajjhaa6Silvestre de SousaSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin Racing 1:47.93
2014Just A Way5Yuichi FukunagaNaosuke Sugai1:45.52
2015Solow5Maxime GuyonFreddy HeadWertheimer et Frère1:47.76
2016Real Steel4Ryan MooreYoshito YahagiSunday Racing Co Ltd1:47.13
2017Vivlos4João MoreiraYasuo Tomomichi1:50.20
2018Benbatl4Oisin MurphySaeed Bin SuroorGodolphin Racing1:46.08
2019Almond Eye4Christophe LemaireSakae KuniedaSilk Racing1:46.78
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021Lord North5Frankie DettoriJohn GosdenZayed bin Mohammed1:46.46
2022Lord North (dh)
Panthalassa (dh)
6
5
Frankie Dettori
Yutaka Yoshida
John & Thady Gosden
Yoshito Yahagi
Zayed bin Mohammed
Hiroo Race Co Ltd
1:45.77
2023Lord North7Frankie DettoriJohn & Thady GosdenZayed bin Mohammed1:47.39
2024Facteur Cheval5Maxime GuyonJerome ReynierTeam Valor International, Gary Barber1:45.91

Incidents

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: In pictures: The Dubai World Cup, one of the richest events in horse racing . 2 April 2024 . CNN.
  2. Web site: Dubai's Big Prize. The World's Richest Horse Race is the Dubai World Cup . Ben . Freeman . Beau Monde Traveler . 2020-04-04.
  3. Web site: Facteur Cheval hangs on for upset in Dubai Turf . 2024-05-27 . www.drf.com . en.