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Dubai World Cup Day Schedule :: Saturday, March 25
Place your bet on the Dubai World
Cup
| Post Time |
Race
|
Purse
|
Race Name |
| 8:40 a.m. EST |
2
|
$1 Million
|
Godolphin Mile |
| 9:15 a.m. EST |
3
|
$2 Million
|
UAE Derby |
| 9:55 a.m. EST |
4
|
$2 Million
|
Dubai Golden Shaheen |
| 10:50 a.m. EST |
5
|
$5 Million
|
Dubai Sheema Classic (T) |
| 11:30 a.m. EST |
6
|
$5 Million
|
Dubai Duty Free (T) |
| 12:20 p.m. EST |
7
|
$6 Million
|
Dubai World Cup |
The Group I Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates, stands alone at
the summit of international horse racing. As horse racing entered a new
era with the changeover of centuries, it was the Dubai World Cup,
inaugurated in 1996, that paved the way forward.
With the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, in general, hosting
what is now the centerpiece of international racing and recognized as
the thoroughbred "World Championship" the Dubai World Cup represents the
wheel turning the full circle. Every thoroughbred in the world today
descends from the three Arabian stallions exported from this part of the
world - the Darley Arabian, the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian.
Dubai
World Cup Funded by Generous Royals
By JIM
KRANE
Associated Press Writer
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates
-- If anyone knows how much it costs to stage Saturday's lavish Dubai
World Cup horse race, they're not saying.
The world's richest race hands out $15.25 million in prize money alone,
and costs millions more to organize, including flying in horses from
Japan, the United States, South Africa and Europe.
But the Nad Al Sheba racetrack -- and the United Arab Emirates --
doesn't allow betting, so there is little income to offset the millions
laid out to hold the one-day, once-a-year spectacle.
Even entry and parking is free, allowing poor immigrant families to
mingle among the world's wealthy racing aficionados who've jetted in for
the glamorous event.
Sponsors' fees and broadcast rights recoup a portion of the costs, but
most are simply paid for from the pockets of Dubai's royal family, the
Maktoums. The family, incidentally, owns the powerful Dubai-based
Godolphin stable, with several horses running on the day's seven-race
card.
"It's basically a tool to promote Dubai," said Matt Howard, spokesman
for the Dubai Racing Club.
With the race expected to reach one billion households, the Maktoum
family stands to reap its dividends by pitching this beachfront sheikdom
as one of the world's hottest luxury destinations.
They might also use the race to showcase Dubai as one of the earth's
most cosmopolitan cities.
The crowd milling in Nad Al Sheba's grandstands, clubhouses and on the
lawns covered the gamut of nationalities, adorned in their finest ethnic
costumes, enforced by strict dress codes demanding tasteful clothing.
Emirati men in long white dishdasha robes strolled with women in black
head-to-toe chadors and copper-colored facial masks. Pakistani men in
skullcaps decorated in glittering cut glass consulted their racing
forms, alongside Indian women in bright, billowing saris.
Westerners in sharp suits and dresses, with audacious hats, thronged at
a food pavilion, quaffing champagne and watching fashion shows.
At the other end of the grandstand, Somali men in skullcaps and white
robes knelt in prayer, foreheads pressed to the grass.
Beyond the track, with a backdrop of Dubai's glimmering modern
skyscrapers, camel trainers could be seen walking their prize beasts
amid the sand dunes. Camels also race at Nad Al Sheba, in another
age-old tradition among Arabs.
- The American champion Cigar's epic victory in 1996 began an
honour roll of champions and set in motion an event that is now
unrivalled in the world of international horse racing. Since Cigar
there has been Singspiel, Silver Charm, Almutawakel and Dubai
Millennium.
- In such a short space of time, the Dubai World Cup has
produced a growth curve in quality unmatched anywhere else in the
world. It's status as an event now sees it as the highlight of an
evening of racing which is the richest in the history of racing.
At US$6million, the Dubai World Cup is the jewel in the crown of a
programme of racing which, on March 24th 2001, will be worth
$US15.25million.
- The 2001 Dubai World Cup meeting set the benchmark with 70
international runners arriving in the United Arab Emirates to
compete on the evening, the very best facilities awaiting both
horses and their connections, highlighting the standards of
excellence of which the UAE and Dubai are world renowned.
- The Dubai World Cup meeting is the centre of massive
international exposure for Dubai capturing an audience in the
hundreds of millions. The meeting is attended by an unrivalled
number of media and features regularly in prominent magazines and
newspapers around the world.
- The increasing quality of the Dubai World Cup itself is
recorded by the post race average ratings for all starters in the
event.
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