Bhupat Seemar regards the Dubai World Cup as the Olympics or the Oscars of the horse-racing fraternity in the UAE.
The 27th staging of the meeting that draws some of the best racehorses from around the world for a prize fund of $30.5 million spread across nine races, including the $12 million Dubai World Cup, is a much-anticipated event in the racing world.
“I always say these are the Olympics or the Oscars for us, who live here. It’s a grand finale and this is what we work for,” Seemar said at a media conference at Meydan on Tuesday.
“The best of the best come here to compete and that’s what the Dubai World Cup is all about. For us as local trainers along with the local owners we get the opportunity to compete against them.”
Seemar took charge of the Zabeel Stables from his uncle Satish Seemar last season. He made a dream start by winning the UAE champion trainers' title and his first Group 1 victory in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.
“I’m very grateful to be in this position,” he said. “I have a lot of people to thank. It’s not a one-man show but too many great people behind me and to get me here.”
Seemar has nine horses entered across four races, including Remorse and Bendoog in the Dubai World Cup.
Remorse is the choice of stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea, while Brett Doyle is booked on Bendoog.
“Bendoog knows his way around here and he’s got a great jockey,” Seemar said of the four-year-old Gun Runner colt.
“We need him to win it but you have to be realistic. He'll hopefully run a good race. This horse broke his maiden in Dubai last year. He’s a big horse and kept on improving all year. He’s by a great sire and has a great owner behind him.
“Remorse was sixth in the World Cup and he ran really well last year. He was drawn 11, which wasn’t bad. He is a smallish horse and doesn’t like much kick-back. The outside draw helped him. He was still finishing the race. That was encouraging.”
Remorse was unplaced in the Saudi Cup in his last start but won the Listed Entisar over the track and trip at Meydan before finishing third behind the re-opposing Algiers and stablemate Bendoog in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over the 1,900m trip.
“In the Saudi Cup, he broke well in Gate 7 but with the speed from both outside and the inside, he never got a chance to break and then he couldn’t open his eyes as he got the kick-back all the way,” Seemar said of the six-year-old Dubawi gelding.
The Zabeel Stables trainer has three entered in the Godolphin Mile, led by Discovery Island with Doyle in the saddle, Royal Mews (O’Shea) and Law Of Peace (Richard Mullen).
“On form, Discovery Island looks like the best of them,” Seemar said. “Unfortunately, we are drawn out in the car park.
“And again it might not be too bad a draw for him because he’s a little bit slow out of the gate. He doesn’t want too much kick-back on him. He makes it hard for himself but he’s a very good horse and hopefully the race goes well for him.
“Royal Mews is one of those horses who puts himself on a race. The draw doesn’t matter but it’s a great thing that he’s drawn in Gate 3. He has plenty of early tactical speed and he can sit in a race and do whatever may that suit him.
"Law Of Peace is one of the sleepers. He sits in the back and Rich will have to sit at the back and chill, and he runs home.”
Logo Hunter takes his chance in the Al Quoz Sprint. He was sixth behind Godolphin’s Lazuli on his Meydan debut and featured in a photo finish behind Miqyaas and Ladies Church in his last start on February 10.
Switzerland was the highlight of Seemar’s first season as a trainer and the nine-year-old Speightstown gelding returns with a victory in the Group 3 Dubawi Stakes behind him.
“He’s getting old and he’s doing everything right,” Seemar said. “There is no point putting too much mileage in his legs.
“He’s had a nice break and he runs well when fresh. He had only a prep run, which he won comfortably. Hope all goes well for him again.”
Tuz and Sound Money, also in the same race, complete Seemar’s line-up on Saturday.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.
Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.
Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Race card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m
9.25pm: Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
