The Dubai World Cup might be celebrating 25 years of top-quality horse-racing action but there is a sober atmosphere at Meydan Racecourse this time round.
The meeting was due to celebrate its silver jubilee in 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, spectators are at a bare minimum and the nation is also mourning the passing of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and a leading owner and breeder of race horses.
Dubai’s flagship race, and its prize fund of $12million, looks wide open, with American challengers Mystic Guide and Jesus’ Team heading the 14-strong line-up.
The more you hear, the more you fancy the chances of Mystic Guide. The USA-based colt is one of three runners for Godolphin. Saeed bin Suroor's Gifts Of Gold and Andre Fabre's Magny Cours are the other two.
The Michael Stidham-trained Mystic Guide is the international favourite ahead of the American raider Jesus’ Team, who arrives on the back of finishing runner up in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on 23 January.
Salute The Soldier, winner of the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 over the track and trip on Super Saturday is third favourite ahead of Great Scot and Military Law – who finished third and sixth, respectively, in the $20m Saudi Cup.
Bin Suroor, who has won the Dubai World Cup the highest number of times (9) is quietly fancying the chances of Gifts Of Gold. He has to overcome the widest draw in gate No 14, though.
“It is hard to win again and again but you have to send the best to win,” the Emirati trainer said.
“Gifts Of Gold is doing good and after he won over a mile-and-a-quarter by six lengths at Chelmsford it made me confident about bringing him to Dubai.
“The reason why he ran first time here in Dubai was to adjust him to dirt race in here before taking him to Saudi and when I took him there people were asking me why I ran him over that distance when he is a mile and a quarter horse.
“I think he was 50/1 but I felt he looked good. Now we will prepare him for the Dubai World Cup, which is back over a mile and a quarter. It is a tough race, but to me it is an open race, but the horse is doing good.”
Jesus’ Team’s handler Jose Francisco D’Angelo is upbeat of his Tapiture colt to run a big race.
“We can do this,” he said. “I’ve gone to the stable at 10pm, 11pm, 12am. Talking to him: ‘Hey ‘Jesus’ you all good?’ I check in on him, change the water. He makes a soup out of his feed, mixing it with water, so I have to clean it.
“Jesus is a little bit like a baby. He looks like a professional on track, but in the barn, he wants to play like a two-year-old. Jesus is a very delicate horse. You have to be able to deal with him.”
The race card consists of six Group 1 and three Group 2 prizes for a total prize fund of $26.5m. It also includes the Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for the Purebred Arabians, the traditional opener of the meeting starting at 3.45pm.
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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MATCH INFO
Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)
United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
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Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
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India squads
Test squad against Afghanistan: Rahane (c), Dhawan, Vijay, Rahul, Pujara, Karun, Saha, Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Umesh, Shami, Pandya, Ishant, Thakur.
T20 squad against Ireland and England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Raina, Pandey, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh.
ODI squad against England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Shreyas, Rayudu, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh
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MATCH RESULT
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Jazira: Mabkhout (52'), Romarinho (77'), Al Hammadi (90' 6)
Persepolis: Alipour (42'), Mensha (84')
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The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)
Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
