Dubai Carnival Races Get 12% Bump in Total Purses

On heels of an announcement to increase purses on Dubai World Cup day, the Dubai Racing Club released a schedule of higher purses for the 10 race days held during the 15th Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Run from Jan. 3 through March 9, the total purses offered during the Carnival will be increased 12% or a total of $12.67 million. 

The three rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge, which are important preps for the $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), will have their purses collectively increased by $500,000. The Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (G2, about a mile, Jan. 10) is worth $350,000 (up $100,000); the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2, about 1 3/16 miles, Feb. 7) is worth $450,000 (up $200,000); and finally the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (G1, 1 1/4 miles, March 9 is worth $600,000 (up $200,000). Eight of the previous 19 Dubai World Cup winners have competed in the series, including four of the last seven.

Super Saturday's remaining fixtures have received boosts as final course and distance preps for their coinciding Dubai World Cup night races, including the Jebel Hatta (G1, nine furlongs, turf), which will increase $100,000 to $400,000 as the preliminary for the $6 million Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (G1). Two races receive $50,000 boosts; the Dubai City of Gold (G2, about 12 furlongs, turf) will be worth $300,000 as a prep for the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1), while the Al Bastakiya (listed, about 1 3/8 miles) goes up to $300,000 as the prep for the richest dirt derby in the world, the $2.5 million UAE Derby sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2).

The road to the Dubai Turf is enriched by the purse increases of the Singspiel Stakes (G3), which is up to $200,000, and the Al Rashidiya (G2) has been bumped to $250,000. 

Three Super Saturday races increase by $150,000 for total purses of $350,000, respectively. The Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) will serve as a dry run for the world's richest dirt sprint, the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News (G1). The Burj Nahaar (G3) sets the stage for the globe's second-richest dirt mile, the $1.5 million Godolphin Mile sponsored by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City—District One (G1). Lastly, the newly upgraded Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) will once again be a prep, as displayed in 2018 by Godolphin's Jungle Cat, for the $2 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1).

Eight additional stakes receive boosts for 2019, including the Nad Al Sheba Trophy (G3), which will increase to $300,000 for stayers looking to tackle the $1.5 million Dubai Gold Cup sponsored by Al Tayer Motors (G2) 30 days later.

The 3-year-old program has been expanded, allowing horses to take turf, dirt, sprint, and route roads to the UAE Derby. The listed Meydan Classic has been increased to $175,000 and is supported by the $100,000 Meydan Classic Trial on turf, as well as two new races: the seven-furlong $100,000 Dubai Trophy on turf and 1 3/8-mile $100,000 Meydan Trophy on turf for sophomores preferring a little more ground.

The $100,000 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial has been increased in trip to one mile, while 3-year-old fillies will again have a fluid three-race series that culminates with the $250,000 UAE Oaks (G3).