The second edition of the Saudi Cup may only be weeks away but there will be a marked contrast at the 2021 event next month to Saudi Arabia’s debut on to the international racing scene last year.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic forcing several global events to be cancelled or postponed, the kingdom’s two-day racing festival will go ahead at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on February 19-20, with some of the world’s leading racehorses and jockeys in attendance.
However, Covid-19 restrictions mean there will be no spectators at this year’s event, with attendance limited to the media and groups linked to the horses competing.
“The media and TV coverage is really important this year because of the low attendance,” said Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of both the Equestrian High Commission and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA).
“Only the horses and the horse connections, and perhaps a limited number of guests with the owners, will be allowed to attend while maintaining the Ministry of Health's strict requirements in terms of masks and social distancing.”
Despite the challenges, the allure of the world’s richest horse race has not gone unnoticed on the world stage, with the event attracting more than a 600 per cent surge in sponsorship this year compared to last.
Prince Bandar said he can only compare the “huge jump” in interest to the inaugural event last year, “so without coronavirus, who’s to say whether it might have been even larger”.
“Last year we weren't sure what to expect. Very few sponsors came in but there's definitely a much bigger interest domestically here in the kingdom, for sponsorship, and we're very excited about that prospect," he said.
“Most sponsors are there for the TV and media as opposed to attendees at the event itself – that’s where the value comes in."
Sponsorship from domestic telecom companies, as well as international players, such as the Swiss watch brand Longines, is exactly the positive business measure the JCSA needs when it reports back to the government on how the event contributes to the country’s economic growth and the creation of new jobs.
Like other major sporting events, such as the Dakar Rally and the upcoming Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah in November, the Saudi Cup must not only promote the country at an international level but also act as a marker of its transformational journey.
Saudi Arabia has undergone an aggressive economic diversification drive in recent years, as part of its Vision 2030 objective, as it looks to diversify away from a reliance on oil by attracting investment into its tourism, technology, sport and entertainment sectors.
Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector economy expanded for a third straight month in November to 54.7, according to the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index, the kingdom's highest reading in 10 months, with the kingdom pledging to continue spending on major projects and programmes.
“One of the key indicators we are required to report to the government annually is how are we creating an industry,” Prince Bandar said.
“The JCSA is transforming this from a purely sport-oriented activity to an industry and the government is very keen on how many jobs we're creating for Saudis and how many Saudis" are entering the sector.
The government also assesses the impact on the wider economy, such as transportation, hospitality, and in a post-Covid world, the effect the event has on tourism.
Saudi Arabia is keen to boost its tourism industry since opening its borders to international visitors, with key heritage sites now open year-round and a number of ‘giga-projects’ under construction to attract visitors, including the futuristic city of Neom.
"Nothing would give me more pleasure if we, as the Saudi cup, contribute tens of thousands of people on an annual basis," Prince Bandar said.
To have the Saudi Cup's business model measured as part of that vision is a big achievement for Prince Bandar, who was asked to join the JCSA four years ago, and has since gone on to become instrumental in the growth of the sport on the international stage.
At the time, he said the kingdom was “very aggressive” in terms of opening up to sports events, making him realise there was an opportunity for the country to host an international horse racing event.
“We pitched the idea, and they liked it but said if you're going to do this, we want to be one of the top five races. Globally, we don't want anything, halfway,” Prince Bandar said.
The JCSA spent the next few months consulting the industry’s top owners and trainers, before coming up with the concept of the Saudi Cup, adding the additional attraction of the largest prize purse in the world.
“The mandate from the government was to make sure we were in the top five, and then the question was asked ‘why aren't you number one?’. We said, ‘well, races take years to establish a reputation and become very much part of the global racing calendar’,” Prince Bandar said.
The “obvious” way to become number one from year one was through prize money, “so we came up with the richest race in the world and it grabbed a lot of attention”, he said.
The 2020 Saudi Cup surpassed the Dubai World Cup as the richest in racing, with 64 international runners representing 10 countries, including Saudi Arabia, competing for a total prize pot of $29.2 million, with the $20m Saudi Cup race the highlight.
While last year's Saudi Cup winner, Maximum Security, made history on February 29, when it became the first to cross the finish line, the JCSA withheld the prize-money after its former trainer Jason Servis faced federal charges in the US as part of an alleged widespread doping scheme.
"It reflects the seriousness we have here in the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, on how we view performance enhancement drugs of any kind," Prince Bandar said.
"Once the resolution comes out that prize money will be directed either to the connections of Maximum Security ... or if there's any kind of incriminating evidence, then unfortunately, the horse will be disqualified and there will be a redistribution of the prize money."
The year’s prize purse for the 16-race event has been extended to $30.5 million with competitors from 19 countries, thanks to a boost to the prize money of three dirt races.
The event will also see seven female and seven male jockeys compete in the International Jockeys Challenge, following on from last year when New Zealander Lisa Allpress became the first woman to win a race in the country.
It is among a number of firsts for the country, which had never held an international racing event before last February. But Prince Bandar said once he had the approval of the government, the process was relatively quick because the infrastructure, owners and trainers were already there.
"We already had a dirt track that I would argue is the top one in the world in terms of the quality of the track and the size of it," he said.
"The challenge was to come up with a turf track with international specifications that would accommodate some of the best horses in the world. It was such a relief when we tested the track and it lived up to our expectations."
Prince Bandar promises this year’s line-up will be even more impressive than last year’s, after owners "unfamiliar with this part of the world" were persuaded by trainers and jockeys to take part.
“This year, there's no question about that,” he said.
What will be under question is how many people will attend, as Covid restrictions are tightened across the globe to counter the rising number of cases.
Prince Bandar said the event will adhere to a system already in place for major sporting events, such as the Dakar Rally, with a Covid test for jockeys and their parties within 72 hours of arrival and a short quarantine.
"We might get an exemption when it comes to owners, if they go to a specific area," he said.
"We have prepared areas that are adjacent to the track with very luxurious accommodation covering all levels from the owners to the grooms, and we have some accommodation in the club," he said.
"Oddly enough, because of these restrictions, we might have the best organised event so far. The people are limited, the places are available, and we can keep them within the track area.”
Looking ahead, Prince Bandar said the Saudi Cup has already achieved its aim to become a horse racing event "second to none" in terms of prize money, experience, sponsorship and attracting the international racing community.
His next aim is to increase Saudi participation and achievement in international racing and to streamline the racing calendar, with the UAE and Bahrain helping to grow the region's racing industry on the global stage. He also wants to lengthen the region's racing season by capitalising on the races in Saudi Arabia's cooler regions.
"It's really an untapped market and I don't think it's unreasonable to say that within the next five years, we will have a year-long season in the GCC as the GCC opens up to each other, where owners and trainers can really pick and choose where they want to run a race," he said.
"This will go a long way in providing a much more interesting a proposition for trainers, specifically around the Gulf area, and then we will no longer look at the states as separate. It will be more like the European environment where horses can move within Europe or within the US as they move from state to state."
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Cloud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20George%20Karam%20and%20Kamil%20Rogalinski%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Food%20technology%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%2B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Olayan%20Financing%2C%20Rua%20Growth%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
Ireland v New Zealand
Saturday, November 24
|Italy v New Zealand
Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
Wales v South Africa
Ireland v United States
France v Fiji
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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More on Turkey's Syria offence
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
