UAE granted three new Group 1 races
Posted by Robert James on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Trainers considering keeping their horses going through the winter campaign at the Dubai Carnival now have an added incentive to tailor their schedules towards February and March next year following the news that three races have been upgraded by the international committee from Group 2 to Group 1 status, writes Elliot Slater.
In a further move towards the Meydan fixtures gaining ever more international recognition, the Jebel Hatta and the third leg of the Maktoum Challenge (due to be run on March 10) have been elevated to the top grade, whilst the Al Quoz Sprint run on the World Cup card at the Dubaian track on World Cup night (March 31st), has also been elevated in status.
Sir Henry Cecil’s Twice Over won the Maktoum Challenge last year before going on to disappoint in the World Cup itself last March when sent off favourite in the Horse racing betting, and if the high-class 10-furlong performer is kept in training for another season there is every chance that he might return to defend his title and grab another Group 1 win to add to his already impressive CV.
This summer’s Grade 1 Canadian winner Wigmore Hall came home first in last season’s Jebel Hatta so connections of the much travelled Michael Bell-trained colt may easily be tempted to make another return trip to the Arabian Gulf to gain more top-class honours in the race they landed last season.
The addition of the three new Group 1 races takes the total to seven in the UAE now awarded the highest bracketing. It is without doubt the horse racing betting news the authorities in the Gulf have been waiting for and what they see as international recognition of the money spent and the facilities provided to bring horse racing up to a new level in their part of the world.
In a further move towards the Meydan fixtures gaining ever more international recognition, the Jebel Hatta and the third leg of the Maktoum Challenge (due to be run on March 10) have been elevated to the top grade, whilst the Al Quoz Sprint run on the World Cup card at the Dubaian track on World Cup night (March 31st), has also been elevated in status.
Sir Henry Cecil’s Twice Over won the Maktoum Challenge last year before going on to disappoint in the World Cup itself last March when sent off favourite in the Horse racing betting, and if the high-class 10-furlong performer is kept in training for another season there is every chance that he might return to defend his title and grab another Group 1 win to add to his already impressive CV.
This summer’s Grade 1 Canadian winner Wigmore Hall came home first in last season’s Jebel Hatta so connections of the much travelled Michael Bell-trained colt may easily be tempted to make another return trip to the Arabian Gulf to gain more top-class honours in the race they landed last season.
The addition of the three new Group 1 races takes the total to seven in the UAE now awarded the highest bracketing. It is without doubt the horse racing betting news the authorities in the Gulf have been waiting for and what they see as international recognition of the money spent and the facilities provided to bring horse racing up to a new level in their part of the world.