Over 70 Horses Compete in Friday’s Opening Card of Dubai Racing Carnival

Dubai: The first evening of the Dubai World Cup horse racing carnival is set to commence tomorrow, Friday, at the Meydan Racecourse. A total of 73 horses will compete across 7 races, with a combined prize purse of AED1.33 million. The event will feature some of the most notable local and international trainers and jockeys. According to Emirates News Agency, the evening marks the beginning of the 2025/2026 racing season, which includes a series of 17 distinguished events. The activities will start tomorrow and continue through Saturday, March 28, 2026, culminating in the prestigious Dubai World Cup's thirtieth edition, serving as the season's grand finale. One of the standout contenders is Dark Saffron, who made headlines during Dubai World Cup day in April. Trained by Ahmad Bin Harmash, this three-year-old colt previously triumphed over an older field in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, which included Group 1 winners such as Tuz, Straight No Chaser, and Nakatomi. Dark Saffron will now compete against his age gr oup in the Emirates Airline Conditions race, the first race on the card. Race five, the Emirates-sponsored 1600-metre handicap, stands as the card's official feature with a line-up of 13 horses. Among them is dual Meydan winner Smart System, who currently represents trainer Ali Al Badwawi as the stable's flagbearer. The closing 1600-metre Emirates Skywards handicap will feature an overseas competitor, Dark Stream, a four-time winner trained by Denmark-based Veronika Jandova. His nine rivals will include Brazilian-bred Norato, ridden by reigning UAE Champion Jockey, Silvestre de Sousa. The card will also showcase the intriguing Emirates Courier Express two-year-old maiden, scheduled as race three. In this race, the bin Harmash-trained Benghazi Star and Seemar's Six Speed are potential horses to watch.