At the dawn of the third organized decade of Dubai racing, DubaiRaceNight.com offers a glimpse into our hopes and dreams for the next decade of racing in the Emirates.
1. Expansion of the Dubai International Racing Carnival
Over the last few years, the DIRC topped out at ten meetings and will take place over only nine occasions in the winter of 2010, the late start attributed to the construction schedule of Meydan. The 2010 DIRC condition book reflects only one of nine nights with six throughbred contests on the docket (Friday, March 5) while others offer seven and eight. Tack on several Arabian races amongst the lot and the average night of racing at Meydan is expected to carry eight or nine total races. This, of course, is before entries are made. 2009 DIRC races were split with regularity, exhibiting the growing popularity and demand for the Carnival. Expansion of the DIRC is almost expected as much as it is an item on anyone’s wish list. The size, scope, and impact Meydan will have on racing makes the growth of the Carnival a near certainty.
2. More American horses ship for the Carnival
Only one American owned and trained horse has shipped to Dubai in recent years for a run at the Carnival, 2008 Dubai World Cup winner Curlin. Given the generous packages the Dubai Racing Club puts together for shippers, the purse structure in Dubai versus the declining winter racing pots on the top circuits in America, and I think it will be only a matter of time before some Americans join the rest of the world in shipping for the Carnival.
3. DRC Gold Cup grows into stayers’ classic
The Dubai racing calendar was significantly lacking both a major turf sprint and a race for the plodding stayers. With the promotion of the Al Quoz Sprint (G3) to the Dubai World Cup card, followed by its likely growth into a Group 1 event, the DRC Gold Cup stands to grow over the next few years. Mourilyan, second in the 2009 DRC Gold Cup, went on to finish a fast closing third in the 2009 Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1) while a Carnival veteran, Crime Scene, was a game second. The stage is set for Dubai to grow the measure of its own staying classic, and we expect to see it happen within the next decade. It has been long rumored that the Gold Cup could grow to join the UAE Oaks and possible other races in a two day Dubai World Cup meeting.
4. The Dubai Racing Club hosts live online video and race video archives
Visitors to DubaiRacingClub.com have learned that information regarding Meydan ticketing has been impossible to find while, in the past, video of racing from the Emirates was limited to Nad Al Sheba and generally uninspiring in its quality. The shame is, the in-race production is some of the best footage of racing you can find, produced for several years by Sunset + Vine, recently announced as the video provider for the 2010 Carnival. For the last few years, on the Dubai Racing Club posted video replays to races from Nad Al Sheba. While they existed, their posting occasionally took some time and the quality of the video was poor. With Meydan to showcase, the broadcast should be shared with as many as possible. As it stands now, there is not a free-to-air/video option to view the Dubai International Racing Carnival. A new website is soon forthcoming for the Dubai Racing Club, let’s hope race night video is among the offerings.
Have any visions of your own? Post them in the comments section below.