Bigger, richer Meydan season opens today

Pillar partner Emirates returns to sponsor opening day’s seven-race card

Meydan Racecourse’s 2018-19 domestic season opens today with the traditional card sponsored by pillar partner, Emirates. It boasts a nine per cent increase in total purse.

This, coupled with the increases to both the Dubai World Cup card and Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting, creates an all-around excitement for the upcoming Dubai racing season.

Prize money has been boosted by Dh15,000 per race, with maiden races now worth Dh165,000 and conditioned allowances up to Dh240,000.

Overall, the average purse total for the 29 domestic meetings of racing at Meydan is Dh1.285 million a day. Each meeting will be comprised of seven races.

The domestic racing season concludes on Friday, April 12, 2019.

Meydan’s fixtures are among an unprecedented 67 race meetings in UAE for the new season, five more than 2017-18.

Abu Dhabi Racecourse will kick off their season on Saturday, November 3, the first of 15 race days, with the majority dedicated to Purebred Arabians.

Sharjah Racecourse hosts six meetings, the first of which is on Saturday, November 10, while Al Ain Racecourse’s season starts on Thursday, November 15, with the first of 12 meetings.

Prize money has been boosted by Dh15,000 per race, with maiden races now worth Dh165,000 and conditioned allowances up to Dh240,000.

Gulf News Archives The Dubai World Cup meeting will take place on March 30, 2019. However, for the first time Meydan has added two more race days to be held after the $35 million meeting.