The Dubai World Cup (Arabic:كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse (Arabic:ميدان) which in arabic suggests a place where people congregate and compete, a sort of meeting point in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operated through the Emirates Horse Racing Authority (EHRA) whose Chairman is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
The race was created in 1996 by the Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who owns Darley Stud & Godolphin Racing, one of the world's leading thoroughbred breeding and racing operations.
Annually held on the last Saturday in March, the Dubai World Cup is part of the Dubai World Cup Night of races, and has a purse of USD 10 million since 2010, making it the world's richest horse race. It is a Group 1 flat race on an all-weather surface for Northern Hemisphere Thoroughbred four-year-olds & up and for Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred three-year-olds & up run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 10 furlongs) in late March.
The race's first winner was the future United States Hall of Fame thoroughbred Cigar, owned by Allen E. Paulson. A plaque honoring that hangs outside the barn of Bill Mott at Belmont Park.
In 2006 the Dubai World Cup was broadcast live on TVG Network and HRTV and taped later for showing on ABC. It was the first time that the race was shown on national TV in the United States. In 2010, the Dubai World Cup was first held at the new Meydan Racecourse on March 27.
Read more about Dubai World Cup: Records, Winners Dubai World Cup
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