UAE Horse racing tours

The racing season at Dubai's Nad Al Sheba racing ground is split into three parts: the Winter Racing Challenge (WRC), the Dubai International Racing Carnival (DIRC) and the Dubai World Cup meeting (DWC). We have designed packages for all three seasons. Our tours Include the hotel booking, transfers to the racing area tickets and also meet up with the racers and side tours like desert safari and other tours.

About the Races in Dubai

Winter Racing Challenge (WRC)

The WRC makes up the first part of the season from early November to early January, and consists of a series of races over three different distances with horses earning points according to their finishing positions.  The 2009 stars were Force Freeze, Brave Tin Soldier and Lucky Ray, who won the 1,200-metre, 1,600-metre and 2,000-metre finals respectively. Each of the three finals were worth AED300,000.

Dubai International Racing Carnival (DIRC)

The DIRC, which will run from the middle of January to the beginning of March, attracts some of the finest horses from all around the world to compete for some of the US$31 million on offer. The 2009 renewal will no doubt build on the success of previous editions, and which has been heralded as a truly groundbreaking event, where the quality and international representation soared beyond all expectations.

A record number of the 2008 DIRC graduates competed on 2008 Dubai World Cup night, with the first three in the big race itself, all having competed at a DIRC.  The carnival was also notable for America, Hong Kong and New Zealand saddling their first runners in the UAE – outside the Dubai World Cup meeting itself. This season will climax with the 2009 Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday March 28.

Upcoming race Dates

Thursday 29th January 2009
Thursday 5th February 2009
Friday 6th February 2009
Thursday 12th February 2009
Thursday 19th February 2009
Friday 20th February 2009
Thursday 26th February 2009  
Thursday 5th March 2009

Dubai World Cup

Saturday 28th March 2008

The world’s richest raceday features three of the most valuable races on the planet. The highlight is, of course, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, won in 2008 by the brilliant American-trained Curlin. The chief supporting races are the Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Nakheel, and the Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, with both contests worth $5 million and won in 2008 by South African-trained horses.  Sun Classique made history by becoming the first filly to win the former, and Jay Peg sprang a surprise in the Dubai Duty Free. The other thoroughbred Group 1 race on the card is the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, which in 2008 was won by the American speedster Benny The Bull.

Honour Devil initiated South Africa’s incredible DWC three-timer by thumping the opposition in the $2 million UAE Derby, sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, while America landed another prize thanks to Diamond Stripe’s win in the $1million Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat. The card opens with the $250,000 Kahayla Classic, for Purebred Arabians and sponsored by Emaar, and was won in 2008 by Mizzna.