Super Saturday offers golden opportunity to Dubai World Cup hopefuls
Excitement is building with winners of six of the nine races on the Super Saturday card at Meydan set to earn guaranteed spots on the Dubai World Cup night. The highlight of the day is the Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic with connections targeting a direct spot in the $12 million Dubai World Cup on April 5. The leading contenders are eight-time UAE champion trainer Doug Watson's Kabirkhan, Korean star Global Hit, and France's Group 1 winner King Gold. Last year's Dubai World Cup winning-trainer Bhupat Seemar is triple handed with Artorius, Guns And Glory and Imperial Emperor, runner-up in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge just over a month ago and the choice of stable jockey Tadhg O'Shea. The nine-race card is the traditional dress rehearsal for the marquee event in just over a month's time. The Group 2 Singspiel Stakes serves as a strong race for an automatic entry to the Group 1 Dubai Turf. Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is double handed with Nations Pride and First Conquest in the race while an interesting challenger for the Royal Blues appears to be British trainer Alice Haynes' Cairo. Cairo has already had three outings at Meydan, finishing runner-up twice and unplaced in between. 'Cairo's three runs at Meydan have been very good and his last run when he finished second in the Group 3 was probably his best run,' Haynes told The National of her first runner in Dubai. 'The time before, the slowly run race over a mile did not suit him. We added a bit of headgear and ran him differently last time and he improved. 'He's thriving out there and tries hard in his races, plus Silvestre [De Souza – jockey] seems to get on very well with him. Ideally, we would get an invite for the Dubai Turf on the big night after the Singspiel Stakes, so we should know that soon.' Cairo is no stranger to Dubai though. The five-year-old by Quality Road was unplaced in the UAE Derby in 2023 when trained by Aidan O'Brien. He has finished runner-up four times in seven starts since joining Haynes. 'Cairo has been a horse that has finished second plenty of times for us,' she added. 'He finished second in a Listed race in Ireland and then ran in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. 'He also finished second at Glorious Goodwood and it would be lovely for him to get his head back in front. Kuwaiti owner Refai Alghraiban has been enjoying his time. 'Silvestre sat on him this morning and thinks he's in great order. I am very happy with the work my team has done out there and we look forward to Saturday.' The 2,400m Group 2 Dubai City of Gold paves the way for the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic. Adding an international twist in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal is impressive Japanese runner American Stage, from trainer Yoshito Yahagi, which is an exciting prelude to the Group 1 Golden Shaheen. Daisuke Takayanagi's T O Saint Denis is another Japanese challenger in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar aiming to book a direct spot in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night. Other highlights include the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, a precursor to the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint featuring defending champion Frost At Dawn, as well as the Listed Jumeirah 1000 Guineas and Jumeirah 2000 Guineas. 5.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 (PA) Group 1 Dh 600,000 (Dirt) 2,000m 6.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed Dh 800,000 (Turf) 1,600m 6.50pm: Burj Nahar (TB) Group 3 Dh 1,200,000 (D) 1,600m 7.25pm: And Al Sheba Turf Group 3 Dh1,200,000 (T) 1,000m 8pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 2 Dh 1,400,000 (T) 1,800m 8.35pm: Al Maktoum Classic Group 2 Dh 1,700,00 (D) 2,000m 9.10pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 Dh 1,400,000 (T) 2,410m 9.45pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 Dh 1,200,000 (D) 1,200m 10.20pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Listed Dh 800,000 (T) 1,600m
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Epsom Derby 2025: How will Dubai's horses fare at the races?
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Owned by Sheikh Hamdan, Nashwan's pathbreaking success was not just the first of many victories for the Al Maktoum family, it was a statement of intent that was reiterated in 1994 when Erhaab gifted Sheikh Hamdan a second success in the Blue Riband. These triumphs marked the beginning of an era where Emirati ambition and British tradition merged on the grandest stage of flat racing, forever altering the landscape of the Epsom Derby. UAE's growing presence Nashwan's victory was no anomaly. The growing footprint of Emirati owners at Epsom became impossible to ignore. In 1995, Lammtarra's stunning victory in the Epsom Derby was etched into racing history as a triumph of vision and innovation. Trained through the winter months in the warm, sunlit climate of Dubai, Lammtarra benefited from conditions rarely available to European racehorses at that time. This uninterrupted preparation allowed him to build strength and stamina, ready for the demanding test that Epsom Downs presents. Sheikh Mohammed's foresight in using Dubai's climate to condition Lammtarra mirrored the broader vision he held for the city in the mid-1990s — a bold dream of transformation and global prominence. Just as Dubai was evolving from a quiet desert outpost into a thriving international hub, so was Lammtarra, shaped by forward-thinking strategy and meticulous planning of the Dubai Ruler. Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation has been a consistent presence, while figures like Dubai-based businessman Khalifa bin Dasmal, whose homebred Shaamit triumphed in 1996, and Saeed Suhail, whose Kris Kin prevailed in 2003, have left a mark on Derby history. In 2018, Masar's Derby win marked Godolphin's first triumph in the race, with the colt's blend of youthful energy and stamina shining through for the first time in the famous royal blue silks. Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Masar's victory was a defining moment for Sheikh Mohammed's global racing vision for his stable. In 2021, Godolphin's dominance at Epsom was reaffirmed when Adayar, also trained by Appleby and ridden by Buick, powered to victory. Bred within the Godolphin programme, Adayar's strength and grace in the iconic blue silks cemented the stable's status as a leading force in Derby history. The stage that stops time There's a reason why horse lovers like Sheikh Mohammed, who could chase trophies anywhere in the world, keep returning to Epsom. It's not just about prestige; it's for the sheer poetry that unfolds on this iconic racecourse. Epsom Downs is both antique and electric. On Derby Day, it becomes a carnival of contrast. Beverage-filled glasses clink in corporate boxes as families queue under red-and-white fairground rides at the Epsom Carnival. The Queen's Stand sparkles with fascinators and morning suits, while on the Hill, barbecues smoke beside hundreds of double-decker buses draped in bunting. It is very British theatre — a bit eccentric, very elegant, and at times tribal. But its allure is irresistibly infectious. This year, more than 100,000 people are expected to gather over the weekend. Celebrities, statesmen, fashion icons and racing fans will merge in the afternoon haze, drawn not only by the glamour but also by the gravity of what's at stake. The Derby is the crucible. The race every jockey, every trainer, every owner dreams of winning. There are bigger purses elsewhere, but no higher honour than that bestowed on the winners at Epsom. Long may it endure. Because the horses who win at Epsom don't just win races — they earn immortality. Shergar. Nijinsky. Galileo. Golden Horn. Mill Reef. Lammtarra. Each left indelible hoofprints on racing history. Each proved they were not merely fast or strong — they were the most deserving of victory. Which horse will join this pantheon of turf legends on June 7?
