Future Champions Festival Set for Newmarket
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The new two-day Dubai Future Champions Festival, which will include a pair of group I races for juveniles, has been approved by the British Horseracing Authority. The event will offer purses worth a combined £2 million at Newmarket.
The festival, which expands from last year's Dubai Future Champions Day, is set for Oct. 9-10 at the Rowley Mile. It will be anchored by the £500,000 Dubai Fillies' Mile (Eng-I) on the first day and the £500,000 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-I) on the second day.
The Middle Park Stakes (Eng-I), which in past years has been carded with the Dewhurst, has been moved to the Cambridgeshire meeting Sept. 26.
The Dewhurst purse will see a £100,000 boost from £400,000 in 2014, and the Dubai Fillies' Mile is up significantly from £200,000 offered last year. The purse increases make both races the most valuable group I 2-year-old contests in Europe. Jockey Club Racecourses has boosted purses by more than £500,000 through the new Dubai Future Champions Festival with support from Dubai.
"His Highness Sheikh Mohammed does an enormous amount to support British horse racing and the creation of the Dubai Future Champions Festival is yet another example of Sheikh Mohammed's continued commitment to Newmarket and the horse racing industry at large," said John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed.
"The new format builds on the success of last year's Dubai Future Champions Day and creates a stunning weekend for racegoers to enjoy the highest caliber sporting action and the very best of British flat racing."
Saturday's card will also includes the £250,000 Betfred Cesarewitch Handicap at 2 1/4 miles for 3-year-olds and older.
The Dubai Future Champions Festival will also focus on the local community, fashion, and education. The Friday card will be promoted as Newmarket Racecourses' Autumn Ladies Day, while the Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket will become the official fashion partner for the two-day festival. The Dubai Education week that proved successful in 2014 will be repeated and culminate with racing on Friday. Both days of the festival will offer free entry to students, with an after-racing party held on Saturday.
"The Dubai Future Champions Festival brings together world-class 2-year-old races with premier older age contests, including two high-value handicaps, with more than £2 million on offer," said Amy Starkey, east regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses. "It is all about the development and celebration of the Thoroughbred, fantastic racing for the public and participants, and enhances the autumn and 2-year-old race program in the best long-term interests of our sport, which is always our motive as part of The Jockey Club."
Britain's Channel 4 has agreed to broadcast races live on both days.