Yuga Kawada celebrates winning the Dubai World Cup on Ushba Tesoro. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dubai World Cup 2024: When is it, which horses are racing and are tickets still available?



The Dubai World Cup meeting is not only the climax of the UAE’s racing season but will draw a global audience when its 28th edition gets under way at Meydan on March 30.

There is a total prize fund of $30.5 million for the nine-race card, the highlight of which is the $12 million Dubai World Cup itself, a Group 1 race run over the 2,000-metre distance on dirt.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2024 event.

When is it?

The 2024 Dubai World Cup will take place on Saturday, March 30.

Where is it?

The races are held at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

What time does it start?

The first race is scheduled to begin at 3.30pm.

Are tickets still available?

General Admission tickets offer rail-side views at just Dh20, while Apron Views tickets provide access to the heart of the social scene for Dh295. For more information and booking, visit the official website.

What races make up the Dubai World Cup?

There are nine races in total at the Dubai World Cup:

Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for the Purebred Arabians ($1 million)

Group 2 Godolphin Mile ($1 million)

Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup ($1 million)

Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint ($1.5 million)

Group 2 UAE Derby ($1 million)

Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen ($2 million)

Group 1 Dubai Turf ($5 million)

Dubai Sheema Classic ($6 million)

Dubai World Cup ($12 million)

Which horses are racing at the Dubai World Cup?

The Dubai World Cup has drawn a quality field that includes last year’s winner Ushba Tesoro, the $20 million Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscado, Newgate (winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap), Derma Sotogake (the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up at Santa Anita), and the locally-trained Kabirkhan and Laurel River, both impressive winners in their last starts at Meydan.

What happened last year?

Ushba Tesoro under Yuga Kawada bagged the Dubai World Cup, only the second horse to achieve that feat for Japan after Victoire Pisa, ridden by Mirco Demuro, won the coveted prize in 2011.

Ushba Tesoro is back to defend his crown and will be bidding to become the second horse to win the Dubai World Cup twice in a row after Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s Thunder Snow became the first to achieve that feat in 2018 and 2019.

List of past winners

1996: Cigar, 1997: Singspiel, 1998: Silver Charm, 1999: Almutawakel, 2000: Dubai Millennium, 2001: Captain Steve, 2002: Street Cry, 2003: Moon Ballad, 2004: Pleasantly Perfect, 2005: Roses In May, 2006: Electrocutionist, 2007: Invasor, 2008: Curlin, 2009: Well Armed, 2010: Gloria de Campeao, 2011: Victoire Pisa, 2012: Monterosso, 2013: Animal Kingdom, 2014: African Story, 2015: Prince Bishop, 2016: California Chrome, 2017: Arrogate, 2018: Thunder Snow, 2019: Thunder Snow, 2020: Cancelled – Covid, 2021: Mystic Guide, 2022: Country Grammer, 2023: Ushba Tesoro

Style Stakes

Aside from the action on the track, there is more than Dh200,000 to be won in the Dubai World Cup Style Stakes, which includes prizes for the Best Dressed Lady, Best Dressed Man, Best Dressed Couple, Best Hat and Best Traditional Outfit competitions.

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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

Updated: March 29, 2024, 9:42 AM