Dubai World Cup Tips, Betting Offers and Odds

Dubai World Cup Preview: Tips, Betting Offers and Odds, Meydan

The final Saturday in March each year brings us the Dubai World Cup. Here we look at the best odds and offers available, as well as providing our betting tips for the Meydan showpiece.

There aren’t many races which offer more financial incentive than the Dubai World Cup. Only the Pegasus World Cup in fact offers more prize money, but when we consider that connections have to stump up a hefty $1 million entry fee for that Gulfstream Park contest, this offering from Meydan is probably still the most attractive contest in the world from a prize money perspective. The race for $10 million is on once again.

First run in 1996, this 1m2f Grade 1 flat contest attracts equine stars from around the globe. It’s easy to see why they come, with that whopping $10 million in prize money on offer!

Dubai World Cup Tips – 2020 Race Preview

Coming soon.

Previous Race Winners

  • 2019 – Thunder Snow – jockey Christophe Soumillon, trainer Saeed bin Suroor
  • 2018 – Thunder Snow – jockey Christophe Soumillon, trainer Saeed bin Suroor
  • 2017 – Arrogate – jockey Mike E Smith, trainer Bob Baffert
  • 2016 – California Chrome – jockey Victor Espinoza, trainer Art Sherman
  • 2015 – Prince Bishop – jockey William Buick, trainer Saeed bin Suroor
  • 2014 – African Story – jockey Silvestre de Sousa, trainer Saeed bin Suroor
  • 2013 – Animal Kingdom – jockey Joel Rosario, trainer Graham Motion
  • 2012 – Monterosso – jockey Mickael Barzalona, trainer Mahmood al Zarooni
  • 2011 – Victoire Pisa – jockey Mirco Demuro, trainer Katsuhiko Sumii
  • 2010 – Gloria de Campeao – jockey T.J. Pereira, trainer Pascal Bary
  • 2009 – Well Armed – jockey Aaron Gryder, trainer Eoin G. Harty
  • 2008 – Curlin – jockey Robby Albarado, trainer Steve Asmussen
  • 2007 – Invasor – jockey Fernando Jara, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin
  • 2006 – Electrocutionist – jockey Frankie Dettori, trainer Saeed bin Suroor

Dubai World Cup History

Acting as the final spectacular act of the nine race Dubai World Cup Night card, this is far and away the richest horse race in the World. The race was held on the dirt track at Nad Al Sheba from its inaugural running in 1996 until 2009. From 2010 onwards it has taken place at the new home of racing in the United Arab Emirates, Meydan. A new location also brought a new surface, with Tapeta being used from 2010 to 2014. However this synthetic all-weather surface was not welcomed by all, particularly the connections of the American runners who are far more accustomed to running on dirt. The race was switched back to dirt from its 2015 edition.

The first ever winner of the Dubai World Cup was one of the most talented American horses in a generation, William I. Mott’s superstar, Cigar. The Nad Al Sheba years also saw the first British trained winner of the race as Sir Michael Stoute’s Singspiel brought the prize home. As of 2015 British trainers had failed to record another win here.

Godolphin are the most successful owners in the history of the race with a remarkable six victories. The year 2000 saw the apple of Sheikh Mohammed’s eye, Dubai Millennium, put up a blistering display to win easily, posting the fastest time in the races history in the process.

Six of Godolphin’s seven winners were trained by Saeed Bin Suroor. Having also won in 1999 for Hamdan Al Maktoum and in 2015 for Handan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Bin Suroor is well clear in the trainers’ race with eight wins in total.

The final year at Nad Al Sheba wasn’t viewed as a classic renewal beforehand, but it nevertheless found its way into the record books. American raider Well Armed paid no heed to the supposed open nature of the race, routing his rivals by a massive 14 lengths, a record winning distance for the contest.

Trials for this race don’t come much better than the Breeder’s Cup Classic. Of the four winners of that American race to line up here, all have won, namely Cigar, Invasor, Pleasantly Perfect and Curlin.

Texan Jockey Jerry Bailey has won this race more than any other. Interestingly his four victories have come for four different owners and trainers.

Horses trained in the USA or the UAE have dominated the Dubai World Cup, winning 17 of the first 20 editions between them. British, French and Japanese trainers have won the race once apiece in this time. Given that the bulk of these races have been held on dirt, it comes as no surprise to see the USA leading the way with 9 wins. USA breeding is geared far more towards dirt performers than elsewhere in the World. The USA won only once in the five editions of the race that were run on Tapeta.

When looking at the age of the winner, it is the four-year-olds who have fared best with 10 wins, followed by five-year-olds with seven. 2015 winner Prince Bishop became the oldest in the history of the race at eight years of age.