Dubai’s Racing Pull Gets Stronger
Why British Group 1-winning trainer George Scott is building a winter base at Meydan
Dubai’s influence on international horse racing is entering another significant chapter. British Group 1-winning trainer George Scott is establishing a 20-box winter base at Meydan Racecourse, bringing a selected team of horses to the UAE for the 2026–27 season.
The move is more than an individual trainer expanding overseas. It is another indication that Dubai is increasingly functioning as a winter headquarters for international racing operations seeking high-quality competition, favourable conditions and access to a wider Middle Eastern programme.
From Newmarket to Meydan
Scott’s main operation remains in Newmarket, one of the historic centres of British racing. His Dubai horses will be housed in a barn outside Meydan’s international quarantine stables, according to the official announcement from Dubai Racing Club.
Importantly, the Dubai base will not restrict the stable to Meydan. Horses stationed there will also be able to compete at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Jebel Ali, creating opportunities at different levels of UAE racing.
For Al Badia readers, the development fits into the wider story of the UAE’s expanding 2026–27 equestrian season, which encompasses racing, endurance and Arabian horse competition.
A Strong Team Is Coming to Dubai
Scott is not arriving with an experimental group. His planned Dubai string includes Wimbledon Hawkeye, West Acre, Gamrai, Commander’s Intent and Saber Strike. The horses are expected to travel to Dubai in mid-November, with the stable targeting races before Christmas.
The trainer already knows what success in the region looks like. West Acre won the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint at Meydan, while Isle Of Jura delivered an exceptional campaign in Bahrain. Those results have helped establish the Middle East as an important component of Scott’s international operation.
Why International Trainers Want Dubai
The attraction extends well beyond prize money.
Dubai offers an established racing infrastructure, international competition and a winter calendar that allows European-based trainers to keep selected horses active when opportunities at home become more limited.
The timing is particularly interesting because the 2026–27 Dubai Racing Carnival begins at Meydan on 6 November 2026 and features 16 race meetings.
That creates a substantial competitive window running through Dubai’s winter and into the major spring fixtures.
For owners, it also means Dubai is no longer simply somewhere to send a horse for one prestigious race. Establishing a seasonal stable allows trainers to build campaigns around the UAE programme.
Meydan Is Becoming More International
International participation has always been central to Dubai’s racing ambitions, but permanent or seasonal bases deepen that relationship.
A trainer who brings a string to Dubai also brings owners, stable staff and horses into the UAE racing ecosystem for months rather than days. That strengthens the exchange between British, European, Gulf and international racing.
It also complements Dubai Racing Club’s efforts to build stronger overseas pathways. Earlier this year, the club announced a partnership with York Racecourse designed to strengthen the international road towards the Dubai World Cup.
A Sign of What Comes Next
George Scott’s expansion therefore matters beyond one stable.
When internationally successful trainers decide that maintaining horses in Dubai makes competitive and commercial sense, it reinforces the emirate’s position as a genuine global racing base.
And as the first horses arrive for the new season, Meydan will once again become more than a spectacular racecourse. For a growing number of international horsemen, Dubai is becoming their winter home.
