Dubai World Cup 2025

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Dubai Racing Club Press Release
Updated: February 14, 2025
Bet the Dubai World Cup online with OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal Online Wagering

The Dubai World Cup, held at Meydan Racecourse, is the world's richest horse racing event, featuring a massive purse of $12 million. Wager on this exciting annual event online with OTB!

When is the 2025 Dubai World Cup?


Saturday April 5, 2025.

Where is the Dubai World Cup raced?


The Dubai World Cup is raced at Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE.

How can I wager on the Dubai World Cup?


OffTrackBetting.com online OTB makes wagering available on the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse to to all its members. Betting is avaiable via the OTB website or downlaodable app.

Dubai World Cup 2025

1 1/4 m (Dirt) | Total race value: $12,000,000

  • 2025 Location: Meydan Racecourse; Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Inaugural Race: 1996
  • Distance: 2,000 metres (about 10 furlongs)
  • Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
  • Age Qualifications: Northern Hemisphere 4yo+ & Southern Hemisphere 3yo+
  • 2025 Purse: $12 million.
  • 2025 Race Date: Saturday, April 5
  • Where to Watch: NBC Sports and online at OffTrackBetting.com

World's Biggest Equine Stars set to Compete in the Dubai World Cup

Jan 28 - The world's biggest equine stars including Romantic Warrior, Rebel's Romance, Sierra Leone and Forever Young are among the nominations for the 29th Dubai World Cup meeting, to be staged at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, April 5.

The $12 million G1 Dubai World Cup (sponsored by Emirates Airline) headlines the nine-race card, with 173 horses nominated, including 20 Group or Grade 1 winners. Among them are the last two winners of the race, Laurel River and Ushba Tesoro, as well as the world's highest-earning horse, Romantic Warrior, from Hong Kong.

A strong group of nominations from Japan includes Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile, as well as G2 UAE Derby winner and Kentucky Derby third Forever Young.

The United States is represented by an exciting group of nominations including Kentucky Derby and Oaks winners Mystik Dan and G1 Belmont Stakes runner-up Mindframe for Todd Pletcher, while Doug O'Neill has put forward G1 Pacific Classic winner Mixto. Also nominated are the last two winners of the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, White Abarrio for Saffie Joseph Junior and Sierra Leone for Chad Brown.

In the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, worth $6 million, 109 horses have been nominated, 16 of whom have Group 1 wins. Contestants from Japan have a good record in this race and nominations from the country include G1 Shuka Sho winner Cervinia, as well as last year's third Liberty Island. Top French trainer Francis Graffard has nominated his G1 King George winner Goliath as well as stablemate Calandagan, while defending champion Rebel's Romance could line up for Godolphin.

The G1 Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, has drawn an impressive 167 nominations. Notable Group 1 contenders include Japan's Brede Weg and Soul Rush. Last year's winner, Facteur Cheval, is back in contention, along with Danon Beluga, who finished third in 2024.

There are two sprints on the card, including the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Nakheel, over 1,200 metres on dirt. Defending champion Tuz heads the nominations and could face fellow top level scorers including Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser and Bob Baffert's Speed Boat Beach.

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The G1 Al Quoz Sprint, on turf over 1,200 metres, has attracted stars such as defending champion California Spangle, as well as Hong Kong compatriots Howdeepisyourlove and Invincible Sage.

There are three Group 2s on the card, the UAE Derby, Godolphin Mile and Dubai Gold Cup, while the day's traditional curtain raiser is the G1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians.

"We have received some outstanding nominations for the 29th Dubai World Cup meeting from all corners of the globe," said Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club. "This is a testament both to the outstanding facilities for horses at Meydan Racecourse and the strength of the Dubai World Cup meeting, one of the best days of racing on the global calendar."

His Excellency Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member, Dubai Racing Club, added: "We are extremely proud of the Dubai World Cup meeting and how it has grown, in less than 30 years, to become one of the biggest global racing events on the planet.

"This year's nominations include some of the best horses in the world and we thank trainers and owners for their support. The Dubai World Cup meeting is set to be one of the most spectacular days of racing staged anywhere in the world in 2025."

Commenting on the strength of the nominations, Erwan Charpy, Head of Department, Racing Operations and International Relations for Dubai Racing Club, said: "The quality of this year's nominations is among the best we have had in 29 years of hosting the Dubai World Cup.

"Romantic Warrior, Laurel River, Sierra Leone, and Goliath ranked among the world's top ten horses in 2024, making their participation in the meeting a true delight for race fans. We are also thrilled by the global representation, with nominations from 20 different countries."

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2025 Dubai World Cup Meeting Nominations

Jan 29 - Nominations for Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on April 5 were released this week.

Headlining the nine-race card is the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline. A total of 173 horses have been entered, led by 20 Group/Grade 1 winners. The winners from 2023 and 2024, Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Laurel River (Into Mischief), respectively, have signed on, as did the world's highest-earning horse, Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who drubbed a good field in the G1 Jebel Hatta just last weekend.

Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) steps forward on the back of a victory in the G2 American Jockey Club Cup on Sunday, while Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), placed in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic, takes his chance after winning the G2 UAE Derby over the dirt track here last March.

The winners of the past two Breeders' Cup Classics are also entered in White Abarrio (Race Day) (2023) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) (2024). Part of the supporting cast from the U.S. is Kentucky Derby hero Mystik Dan (Goldencents), and GI Belmont Stakes second Mindframe (Constitution). GI Pacific Classic hero Mixto (Good Magic) is also nominated.

The $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic features 109 nominees, 16 of them successful at the top level including Shuka Sho heroine Cervinia (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and last year's third-place finisher and Japanese Fillies Triple Crown victress Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Standout King George scorer Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) is part of this bunch, as is his Francis Graffard stablemate Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), and defending champion and dual Eclipse winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}), will defend his title in the G1 Dubai Turf. Another 2024 Dubai World Cup night winner is Tuz (Oxbow), who is gunning for his second G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, but faces challengers in Straight No Chaser (Speightster) and Speed Boat Beach (Bayern). Rounding out the Group 1 races is the Al Quoz Sprint, with Hong Kong star California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) nominated, as well as Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}).

"We have received some outstanding nominations for the 29th Dubai World Cup meeting from all corners of the globe," said Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Racing Club. "This is a testament both to the outstanding facilities for horses at Meydan Racecourse and the strength of the Dubai World Cup meeting, one of the best days of racing on the global calendar."

About the Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup was conceived by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 1996. Up until 2017, it was the world's richest race with a purse of $10M USD made available. It was briefly surpassed by the $12M Pegasus World Cup. Following the reduction of the Pegasus World Cup purse and the increase of the Dubai World Cup purse in 2019 to $12M USD, the UAE once again hosts the world's richest horse racing prize.

Before migrating to the Meydan Racecourse, which opened in 2010, the Dubai World Cup was hosted at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.

The next renewal of the Dubai World Cup will be on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 and once again hold a purse of $12M USD. This follows the cancellation of the event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the best racehorses produced by the United States have travelled to the Dubai World Cup and won. These include Arrogate (2017), California Chrome (2016), Animal Kingdom (2013), Well Armed (2009), Curlin (2008), Electrocutionist (2006), Roses in May (2005), Pleasantly Perfect (2003), Silver Charm (1998) and Cigar (1996). In fact, Cigar won the inaugural running of this race.

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