Nearly 150 horses from 17 countries have been accepted to run at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on Friday, January 6th at Meydan Racecourse.
With millions in prizemoney up for grabs across nine weeks of racing, the Carnival promises some excellent action on the turf and dirt tracks at the UAE’s flagship racecourse. The action builds up to the Dubai World Cup, which takes place on Saturday, March 25th, for which a separate set of nominations will be received.
The cosmopolitan nature of the entries reflects the success of the 2022 Carnival, which welcomed winners from the UK, France, Uruguay, Bahrain and the USA. The 2023 renewal sees 147 horses accepted, including nine individual Group/Grade 1 winners.
California-based trainer Doug O’Neill enjoyed an excellent Dubai stint in 2022, saddling four winners from just 19 runners. 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. Joining O’Neill from the US could be fellow Classic-winning trainer Dallas Stewart, who has nominated Grade 2 winner Long Range Toddy.
South America enjoyed plenty of success at the 2022 Carnival and they are back again, with Grade I winners La Validada, Nino Guapo and El Musical nominated by Argentina-based trainer Juan Saldivia, while Ricardo Colombo brings over the exciting 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.
South Korea, successful at the Carnival in the past with the likes of Listed Curlin Stakes winner Dolkong, are set to return to Dubai after a break of a couple of years. Trainer Youn Gu Park has nominated Haengbok Wangia, while Young Kwan Kim has put forward another US-bred, King Of The Match.
