The first three races at the Meydan Racecourse set the stage for a thrilling Dubai World Cup night, showcasing competitive finishes delivered by elite horses, skilled jockeys, and experienced trainers. The next three races—Al Quoz Sprint, UAE Derby, and Dubai Golden Shaheen—continued the momentum with spectacular performances and close finishes under ideal racing conditions.
The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint over 1200 metres on turf saw BELIEVING (IRE), a 5-year-old bay mare, deliver an electric performance. ridden by William Buick and trained by George Boughey, BELIEVING captured the title in 1:07.77 and secure the top share of the USD 1.5 million purse. WIN CARNELIAN (JPN), the 8-year-old chestnut gelding trained by Yuichi Shikato and ridden by Kosei Miura, finished just 0.68 lengths behind in a strong second-place effort. REGIONAL (GB), a 7-year-old bay gelding trained by Edward Bethell and ridden by Callum Rodriguez, took third in 1:07.89. DANON MCKINLEY (JPN), a 4-year-old bay colt trained by Hideaki Fujiwara and guided by Cristian Demuro, followed in fourth with a time of 1:08.16. PURO MAGIC (JPN), a 4-year-old bay filly trained by Shogo Yasuda and ridden by Oisin Murphy, clocked 1:08.19 to finish fifth. The Al Quoz Sprint delivered a classic sprinting spectacle, with a blanket finish among the front-runners and BELIEVING etching a new high point on the turf.
The UAE Derby, race five of the night, was another high-stakes affair, contested over 1900 metres on dirt. ADMIRE DAYTONA (JPN), a 3-year-old bay colt, trained by Yukihiro Kato and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, clinched a win in 1:59.131. HEART OF HONOR (GB), a brown colt trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by Saffie Osborne, came agonisingly close, losing by just 0.04 lengths with a final time of 1:59.139 in a photo finish. DON IN THE MOOD (JPN), a 3-year-old dark bay colt trained by Teiichi Konno and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, placed third in 1:59.54. SHIN FOREVER (USA), trained by Hideyuki Mori and ridden by Akira Sugawara, came fourth in 1:59.87. QUEEN AZTECA (USA), a 3-year-old bay filly trained by Niels Petersen and piloted by Carlos Lopez, finished fifth in 2:00.78. The UAE Derby lived up to its billing, showcasing some of the best emerging talent on the dirt circuit.
The Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen brought the crowd to its feet with a fiery 1200-metre sprint on the dirt track. DARK SAFFRON (USA), a 3-year-old dark bay gelding, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash and ridden with precision by Connor Beasley, claimed a stunning victory in 1:11.40. Just 0.34 lengths back was NAKATOMI (USA), a 6-year-old chestnut gelding trained by Wesley Ward and partnered with Emisael Jaramillo, who posted 1:11.46. TUZ (USA), the 8-year-old gelding trained by Bhupat Seemar and ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, was the favourite but had to settle for third, crossing the line in 1:11.60.
KUROJISHI JOE (JPN), the 6-year-old brown horse, secured fourth position, trained by Inao Okada and ridden by Keita Tosaki, crossed the line in 1:11.63. COLOUR UP (IRE), the 7-year-old bay gelding, rounded out the top five. Trained by Doug Watson and ridden by Patrick Dobbs, posted a time of 1:11.87. The high-octane contest delivered all the drama expected of one of the premier sprint races on the global calendar.
The horses gave outshining performances and claimed their spots among the elite, offering racegoers an unforgettable experience under the lights of Meydan. With three more races to go, the Dubai World Cup night continues to deliver top-class action.
