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The 29th Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse is shaping up as a truly international affair, with nominations from 20 different countries preparing for the nine-race card on 5 April 2025.
The US$12 million Gr.1 Dubai World Cup (sponsored by Emirates Airline) has drawn 173 nominations, including 20 Group/Grade One winners. Hong Kong's highest-earning horse Romantic Warrior leads the stellar cast, alongside defending champion Laurel River and former winner Ushba Tesoro.
Japanese firepower includes Derby winner Danon Decile and Forever Young, who captured the Gr.2 UAE Derby before placing third in the Kentucky Derby. The American challenge is spearheaded by Kentucky Derby victor Mystik Dan and Gr.1 Belmont Stakes runner-up Mindframe from Todd Pletcher's yard, while Doug O'Neill has nominated Gr.1 Pacific Classic winner Mixto. Recent Breeders' Cup Classic Winners White Abarrio and Sierra Leone, trained by Saffie Joseph Junior and Chad Brown respectively, add further depth.
The US$6 million Gr.1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic has attracted 109 entries, featuring 16 Group One winners. Japanese raiders Cervinia, fresh from her Gr.1 Shuka Sho triumph, and last year's third Liberty Island are set to tackle defending champion Rebel's Romance. French trainer Francis Graffard has entered King George hero Goliath alongside stablemate Calandagan.
The Gr.1 Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, has garnered 167 nominations. Japanese stars Brede Weg and Soul Rush head the entries, while last year's winner Facteur Cheval returns to defend his crown. Danon Beluga, who finished third in 2024, adds further international flavour.
Sprint Stars Set For Desert Clash
The sprint division sees defending Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen champion Tuz potentially facing Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser and Bob Baffert's Speed Boat Beach. Meanwhile, the Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint features Hong Kong speedsters headed by defending champion California Spangle, alongside compatriots Howdeepisyourlove and Invincible Sage.
The card also features three Gr.2 contests - the UAE Derby, Godolphin Mile and Dubai Gold Cup - while the traditional curtain-raiser remains the Gr.1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians.
3YO Heart Of Honor is being aimed at the UAE Derby following a strong second in the UAE 2000 Guineas behind Golden Vekoma. Trainer Jamie Osborne, who won the race 11 years ago with Toast Of New York, believes the son of Honor A. P. will improve for the step up in trip.
"We ran him a fortnight before the UAE Guineas to give him that experience and if we hadn't done that, we would have been kicking ourselves because he was green and babyish early on the other day," said Osborne.
"He's just not that quick into his stride and with 15 runners, we just ended up further back than ideal and then, of course, he had to negotiate getting past 14 horses in front of him.
"The winner, who is probably a more complete horse at the moment, jumped out and travelled great and was up there in the van the whole way. We have just left ourselves too much to do, but he's run through the line really well and it looks fairly obvious that we're going to improve for going a bit further.
"I think there is an element of him learning on the job as well, and I think he will get sharper, so it makes sense probably to go to the Al Bastakiya (February 21) and hopefully end up in the UAE Derby on World Cup night (April 5)."
Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club, said: "We have received some outstanding nominations for the 29th Dubai World Cup meeting from all corners of the globe. This is a testament both to the outstanding facilities for horses at Meydan Racecourse and the strength of the Dubai World Cup meeting, one of the best days of racing on the global calendar."
His Excellency Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member, Dubai Racing Club, added: "We are extremely proud of the Dubai World Cup meeting and how it has grown, in less than 30 years, to become one of the biggest global racing events on the planet. This year's nominations include some of the best horses in the world and we thank trainers and owners for their support. The Dubai World Cup meeting is set to be one of the most spectacular days of racing staged anywhere in the world in 2025."
Erwan Charpy, Head of Department, Racing Operations and International Relations for Dubai Racing Club, concluded: "The quality of this year's nominations is among the best we have had in 29 years of hosting the Dubai World Cup. Romantic Warrior, Laurel River, Sierra Leone, and Goliath ranked among the world's top ten horses in 2024, making their participation in the meeting a true delight for race fans. We are also thrilled by the global representation, with nominations from 20 different countries."