It is no secret that the Olympics and the Fifa World Cup are the planet’s two biggest sporting events in terms of public interest and media coverage.
But what about the other iconic sports events such as the Tour de France, the Ryder Cup, Super Bowl or Wimbledon. Where do they rank in the public eye? Pretty high I would say, as they all can boast of having their own wow factor.
Flat racing also prides itself on its own quintessential events: the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies, the Arc de Triomphe, the Melbourne Cup and the Dubai World Cup, until recently the world’s richest horse race with prize money of $10 million (Dh36.7 million). The inaugural Pegasus World Cup’s prize pot is $12 million.
But there’s something so special about the Dubai World Cup, which in just over two decades has created a niche for itself on the global map. It’s a race that stands out as it enjoys a unique appeal. It’s a national exercise and a national treasure.
If the Melbourne Cup is the race that stops a nation, then the Dubai World Cup comes close to stopping the planet. Not only as a result of its staggering purse but also because it has the capacity to attract the very best horses, jockeys and trainers in the world.
For confirmation, look no further than its roll of honour. Former winners Cigar, Silver Charm, Dubai Millennium, Captain Steve, Rose In May, Curlin, Animal Kingdom and California Chrome were all
world champions.
This year, the race has attracted the imperious Arrogate, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Pegasus World Cup. But that’s only half the story.
The Dubai World Cup was never on Arrogate’s agenda. He was bought by Prince Khalid Abdullah to race exclusively in the US, with his main target for 2017 being the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But in a dramatic change of heart, his owner, and trainer Bob Baffert, fell under the charm of the Dubai showpiece.
It was too hard to resist and an easy decision to make. Victory in Dubai would ensure that Arrogate’s career earnings will cross $17 million, making him one of the highest earning horses in American history.
It was another triumph for the organisers of the Dubai World Cup who are outrageously ambitious in their quest to attract the best horses to race on a $30-million card at the Meydan Racecourse, an iconic sporting theatre that draws more than 60,000 racegoers to its annual showpiece.
Close to 800 horses from 22 countries were nominated for the Dubai World Cup and its supporting card of eight races, an increase of more than 100 from
last year.
The last Saturday in March each year is also a social highlight on the calendar year. Fashionable and not-so-fashionable men and women step up their dress game when it comes to making a statement at the extravaganza. It also dominates conversations like nothing outside of the recent US presidential elections.
With last year’s meeting broadcast in ten countries across more than 100 territories, the World Cup’s popularity looks to be extended even further this year.
The concept of the biggest can be misleading in most cases but that is and always will be the Dubai World Cup’s legacy.
