Bhupat Seemar: The Alchemist
Championship Leader Maps Out His Dubai World Cup Plans
Every time Dubai Racing Club posts a video of Kabirkhan, a million people watch. The California Chrome colt, overlooked for pedigree, has become one of the most famous horses in the Middle East.
It is that kind of alchemy, turning the overlooked into the extraordinary, that defines Seemar's Zabeel Stables operation this season. With 30 winners from 144 runners and a commanding championship lead, the trainer commands a formidable arsenal: reigning Dubai World Cup champion Laurel River, Group One winner Walk of Stars, Saudi Cup hopeful Imperial Emperor, and emerging sprinter Mufasa.
It is a string that reflects both Seemar's training prowess and the changing face of ownership in Dubai racing.
Laurel River: Defending Champion Eyes Repeat Glory
The Juddmonte-owned Into Mischief colt stormed to an 8½ length triumph in the 2024 Dubai World Cup, earning joint Longines World's Best Racehorse honours with a rating of 128. However short-term training setbacks ruled him out of both the 2025 Saudi Cup and World Cup defence.
"We're making his plan backwards from the 2026 Dubai World Cup. The World Cup, Super Saturday, maybe a race in January, either a six-furlong or a mile. It’s the same prep that won us the World Cup. We will follow a similar campaign. He just galloped Sunday, and all is good.”
Walk Of Stars: Gr.1 Glory And Tactical Nous
The Athbah Racing-owned Dubawi gelding stamped his authority on the Gr.1 Al Maktoum Challenge, defeating Imperial Emperor by 2¾ lengths to become Dubawi's 60th Gr.1 winner. He subsequently finished 12th in the Saudi Cup and fourth in the 2025 Dubai World Cup.
The decision to give Walk of Stars a preparatory run proved crucial. "Walk of Stars, we were going to run straight in the Gr.1 Maktoum Challenge," Seemar explains. "But I spoke to Abdul Munim (racing manager), and he spoke to His Royal Highness (HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud), and they suggested that we give him a run before that. It was a good decision. We decided to race him in the Entisar. He carried 3½ kilos extra because of the Gr.1 penalty. The next run will be interesting."
Imperial Emperor
The Deva Racing poster horse has exceeded all expectations this season. He has won three from four starts, culminating in an 8 ½ length Gr.2 Al Maktoum Classic triumph on Super Saturday.
"He's been a fantastic horse this year," Seemar confirms. "Raced four times, won three, finished second in the other. Deva Racing has been having great results in Great Britain and Ireland, but they've done even better in Dubai."
The US$20 million (AED73.5 million) Saudi Cup looms large. "The Saudi Cup has got US$20 million reasons to go to race there. He won a Gr.2, was second in a Gr.1, and so got the credentials. He won a Gr.2, was second in a Gr.1, and so got the credentials. He is the right kind of horse with a good mind."
"Next race, we can go to the Firebreak or the Gr.1 Maktoum Challenge, where he was runner-up last year. I will have to talk to the owners before deciding."
Kabirkhan And Mufasa: Fan Appeal And Emerging Sprinter
The horse who opened this story deserves his own chapter. Kabirkhan, owned by Kazakhstan businessman Tlek Mukanbetkaliyev, won the Gr.1 Al Maktoum Challenge for Doug Watson, giving the trainer his first Thoroughbred Group One, before transferring to Seemar for the 2024-2025 season.
His extraordinary social media presence reflects genuine public fascination. "Every time DRC posts his videos, they get a million views. He has a huge fan following. He's a good-looking horse, and this year he has been training well."
The Chilean-bred Practical Joke colt Mufasa joined Seemar for RRR Racing after defeating Breeders' Cup Classic Winner White Abarrio in the Gr.3 Mr Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He made his Dubai debut, finishing sixth in the Gr.2 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night.
Seemar sees significant potential in the sprinting division. "He could be a very good six-furlong horse. First time he ran six furlongs for us. The race didn't pan out right. Mufasa got a bit keen. Race was perfectly set up for a stalker."
Uae Derby: The Classic Puzzle
Beyond the established stars, Seemar is piecing together his challenge for Dubai's premier Classic. The 1900-metre trip demands a particular blend of speed and stamina, and not every prospect fits the mould.
"The Derby is the 1900-metre distance," Seemar explains. "Lino Padrino and Six Speed could be a UAE Derby horse, but they have to go in the Guineas first."
Young Talents
World Record, a Gun Runner colt purchased at Keeneland, touches down in Dubai in January , delayed by logistics but arriving, the trainer hopes, with serious potential.
"He got delayed, so he's flying in on January 11. He's by Gun Runner. A top horse."
Seemar's acquisition strategy reflects Dubai's unique racing calendar. "Yearlings in Dubai have too long a wait. Buying them in September, they turn two in January, so they wait till November to race. But in other countries, you can start racing them in the spring and summer. My owners' return on investment is better if I buy 2YOs. They come straight, start racing in a few months."
The Saudi Derby represents another key target for these emerging talents. "For the Saudi Derby. We have some nice prospects we haven't run yet. Some good horses sitting in the wings."
Seemar remains cautious about revealing too much. "There are a few good 3YOs, but I prefer to let the horses do their own talking. We've got very good clients who've sent us very good horses, and my staff works very hard to get the results."
International Operations: From Newmarket To Florida
The pipeline that feeds Zabeel Stables stretches across continents, with trusted partners at each staging post.
"Every horse is different, like every human being. We have a programme. You start from where you're importing them from. If they're from Europe, they go to George Peckham in Newmarket, as I have known him for a long time. We can put them in training or give them a break on some grass paddocks.”
American imports require different considerations. "If they're in America, they'll go to Florida, because Florida has similar weather as the UAE. In Florida, they go to David Scanlon's or Randy Miles, both are very good horsemen. They have beautiful facilities with their own private tracks."
Recent developments in Florida have been encouraging. "Eddie Woods has retired. He was one of the first breeze-up outfits. David Scanlon, a third generation horseman, has purchased his new facilities from Woods."
Race placement also requires expertise. "It's very important to place a horse in the right race where they've got the best chance to run the best race they can run. That comes with experience"
The Syndicate Revolution
The transformation of racehorse ownership underpins much of Seemar's success.
"Syndicates are the way forward all over the world," Seemar explains. "Like in Australia, syndicates are becoming very big and also worldwide now. Members of the syndicate could own different shares in a horse; it is a good way to enjoy the sport along with many other members. It’s a good way to meet people, have a social event, and people can proudly say they own the horse."
Micro-share models represent the latest evolution. "They have multi-million-dollar horses with micro shares. That increases your fan base of horse racing. Attendance becomes better at races. Young people can get involved. Historically, horses had singular ownership; now there are many more people sharing a racehorse. It promotes horse racing in a big way."
From schoolteachers buying a share to billionaires chasing Dubai World Cup glory, Seemar's Zabeel Stables has become a crucible where unlikely stories become extraordinary results. The trainer's eyes remain fixed on bigger prizes: a second Dubai World Cup, Saudi Cup glory, and the continued transformation of a sport he has helped redefine in his own humble ways.