DUBAI: One of the highlights of the UAE racing calendar returns on March 1 when the Meydan Racecourse hosts Emirates Super Saturday, an event that has horses from around the globe compete for a coveted spot on the Dubai World Cup card.
Held just five weeks ahead of the Dubai World Cup on April 5, Super Saturday will feature nine races, with six offering guaranteed entry to the showcase event through the exclusive bonus scheme.
Ali Al-Ali, CEO and board member of Dubai Racing Club, said: “Emirates Super Saturday is one of our most popular and exciting days of racing, offering not only top-notch preparatory races but also a unique blend of sport, fashion and entertainment that captivates both racing aficionados and lifestyle enthusiasts.”
The highlight of the day is the G2 Al-Maktoum Classic, with $327,000 in prize money, and a field that includes top contenders Kabirkhan (under the guidance of eight-time UAE Champion Doug Watson), Korean star Global Hit, and France’s Group 1 winner King Gold.
The 2,400-meter G2 Dubai City of Gold paves the way for the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, while the G2 Singspiel Stakes serves as a strong race in its own right but also unlocks automatic entry to the G1 Dubai Turf.
Racing fans can look forward to match-ups featuring Godolphin’s multiple G1 winner Nations Pride and the British-trained sensation Cairo for Alice Haynes.
Adding an international twist, two impressive Japanese runners join the lineup.
These are American Stage, from trainer Yoshito Yahagi, in the Group 3 Mahab Al-Shimaal — an exciting prelude to the G1 Golden Shaheen — and T O Saint Denis, guided by Daisuke Takayanagi, in the G3 Burj Nahaar, set to prepare for the G2 Godolphin Mile.
Other highlights include the Group 3 Nad Al-Sheba Turf Sprint, a precursor to the G1 Al-Quoz Sprint featuring the defending champion British filly, Frost At Dawn, and there is the culmination of the three-year-old turf series with the Listed Jumeirah 1000 Guineas and Jumeirah 2000 Guineas.
