Dubai: The eighth edition of the Dubai International Racing Carnival commences Thursday at Meydan Racecourse and looks set to be another thrilling and high quality affair.
A record number of international horses from Brazil, France, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, Norway, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar will compete against Carnival powerhouse the UAE for prize money exceeding a staggering $37 million.
The 11 meeting extravaganza, which builds to a crescendo culminating in the $10 million Dubai World Cup race meeting on March 26, kicks-off today with the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge series, which acts a perfect indicator to what lies ahead.
"We couldn't be happier with both the quality and quantity of horses that we have at the Carnival this year, not only those that have come from abroad but those stabled locally as well,' says Dubai Racing Club CEO, Frank Gabriel Jr.
"Since the Carnival began it has strengthened the racing scene in Dubai significantly and that was highlighted by Ali Rashid Al Raihe preparing Al Shemali to win the Dubai Duty Free last year."
"I think the feeling with everyone at the Dubai Racing Club and Meydan is that the success of the Carnival has been a great avenue to the World Cup. I think one of the pleasures has been the elevation of races in the Carnival from Group 3s to 2s.
"There has been great success in that and I think what we are also very proud that Super Thursday has now become that second stage for the world and we are getting a lot of participants using that Super Thursday as a stepping stone to the World Cup, which what the design was all about."
Overseas trainers
A lot of overseas trainers will be gunning for glory at this year's Carnival in returning trainers John Gosden, Luca Cumani, Ed Dunlop, Mark Johnston and Mick Channon from the UK along with South African's heavyweights Mike de Kock and Herman Brown, as well as Andre Fabre, Alain De Royer Dupre, Pascal Bary, Francois Doumen and Rodolphe Collet from France and Brazil's Eduardo Martins.
Following the high success of horses from the US, American trainer Ben Cecil will send horses to the Carnival for the first time including former Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House.
De Kock looks set to continue his strong presence at the Carnival where he has notched 78 wins and is second only to highly successful Emirati trainer Saeed Bin Surour who is five short of reaching a landmark 100 wins.
De Kock's team includes last year's UAE Derby and Oaks winners Musir and Raihana together with Durban July winner Bold Silvano and South African Derby winner Irish Flame.
Brown's squad
Fellow South African Herman Brown's squad includes 2010 Al Fahidi Fort winner Bankable and top sprinter JJ The Jet Plane, a winner of the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint last December.
Throw in top UAE-based runners from the likes of Carnival topper Saeed Bin Surour, reigning UAE champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe, in-form Satish Seemar and you have a cracker of an event.
