There are five guaranteed spots, including one in the $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup, up for grabs on Super Saturday, the traditional dress rehearsal for the flagship meeting.
The winner of the third leg of the Maktoum Classic will earn a in the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 30.
Heading the field in the 13-runner race run over the 1,900-metre distance on dirt is American raider Clapton, the highest rated (112) horse in the field.
The five-year-old son of Brethren trained by Chad Summers and with Godolphin rider William Buick will be a leading contender after finishing third in the Maktoum Classic Round-2 over the track and trip on January 26.
“I’m very happy how the horse has acclimatised since he arrived,” Summers, a dual winner of the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with Mind Your Biscuits, said.
“William [Buick] breezed him for us a few weeks ago and was very happy with him.”
Among the challenge are Ajuste Fiscal, Military Law and a previous Dubai World Cup sixth Remorse.
The Maktoum Classic is preceded by the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold in which a place in the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic is on the line.
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby has won this 2,400-metre turf contest five times and runs three, with exciting four-year-old Castle Way the pick of stable jockey Buick.
“Castle Way is probably the horse out of my three with the most scope to progress throughout the season,” Appleby said of the Group 3 winner who has won four and finished runner up twice in seven career starts in the UK.
“He ended his three-year-old campaign with a couple of strong efforts and is ready to get going again.”
Warren Point and Bold Act, a Group 3 winner at Keeneland in October are the two other Godolphin runners.
Cinderella’s Dream carries Godolphin’s hopes in the UAE 1,000 Guineas. She was a convincing winner of the Jumeirah Fillies Classic on turf and makes her dirt debut.
“Cinderella’s Dream is in great order and stepping back up to a mile is going to suit. The form of her latest win has been franked by Beautiful Love and she looks the one to beat,” Appleby said.
Godolphin’s Star Of Mystery has won two from two at Meydan and will be hard to overlook in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Sprint
“Star Of Mystery has enjoyed a little break since the Blue Point Sprint and a repeat performance of that will make her very competitive again. It’s a good field but we are very happy with her,” Appleby said of the Kodiac filly.
Noble Dynasty, in the Group 3 Ras Al Khor, while Legend Of Time and Musical Act in the Listed Jumeirah Classic, complete the royal blues challenge in five of the nine prizes on the night.
“Noble Dynasty runs well fresh and looks in great shape. He has a nice draw in stall four and should be involved in the finish,” Appleby added.
“Legend Of Time has done well since the Jumeirah Guineas and this was always the target. Musical Act was a bit unfortunate in the Jumeirah Guineas, when he got caught up in an early speed duel and didn’t finish his race.
“I’m hoping he can do everything the right way round this time and will be disappointed if he doesn’t make the places.”
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The%20specs
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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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
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
