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| Rowan Anderson |
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Nine weeks of racing at the UAE’s flagship racecourse, the Dubai World Cup Carnival will offer up some of the best talent that the world has to offer.
With the Dubai World Cup at its pinnacle, stables and trainers prepare their best to represent them on the world stage.
With millions in prizemoney on offer the nominations have been accepted with nearly 150 horses travelling from 16 countries.
Kicking off on January 6 at Meydan the countdown is officially on and the nominations highlight the international flavour of the Carnival with winners having been produced from the UK, France, Uruguay, Bahrain and the USA.
From the nominations there are nine Group/Grade One winners amongst them showing the level of talent that will be on display.
In his 2002 stint racing in Dubai California-based trainer saddled four winners from just 19 runners and this year he has nominated a team of 11, including Grade 2 winner and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile third Slow Down Andy, as well as Get Back Goldie, winner of the Oud Metha Stakes at Meydan last season, and three-year-old B Dawk, sixth in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby.
Fellow American and Classic-winning trainer Dallas Stewart has nominated Grade 2 winner Long Range Toddy, while US-based Turkish trainer Mertkan Kantamaci has entered Evvie Jets and Stage Left.
South America is showing its mark on the Carnival after plenty of success at the 2022 Carnival and they return with Grade I winners La Validada, Nino Guapo and El Musical nominated by Argentina-based trainer Juan Saldivia, while Ricardo Colombo has nominated Loreley, winner of the local Group 1 Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos in Uruguay in September.
Australian trainer Will Clarken made an impact at Meydan last season with He’s A Balter running fourth in the G2 Blue Point Sprint and he has nominated the gelding again, along with Beau Rossa and Ironclad.
The Carnival, which began in 2004, has a passion for welcoming back returning stars and the Charlie Hills-trained Equilateral is set to visit for a third time, alongside stablemate Khaadem, a now Group 2 winner.
Hills’ fellow British trainer Richard Hannon has nominated Group winners Chindit and Happy Romance, who showed her ability in Dubai before finishing second in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint.
Stephanie Cooley, International Liaison for Dubai Racing Club was impressed with the quantity and quality of the nominations.
“We are delighted with the strength of nominations which we have received from across the world for the Carnival,” she said.
“To have nations such as South Korea, who have suffered from Covid restrictions in recent years, returning is gratifying, and it's also superb to welcome back many returning equine stars as well as some new faces from the UK, Ireland and the USA.”
By Rowan Anderson