Meydan

Title Role
Too Darn Hot's Title Role Edges Godolphin Pair In Jumeirah 2000 Guineas

Simon and Ed Crisford saddled a treble of winners during Meydan's Super Saturday card, and it was the Coolmore partners' Title Role (Too Darn Hot) who stepped up to spoil the party of heavy favourite Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett). Racing in midfield as Pacifica Pier (Palace Pier) showed the way, the eventual winner was given an efficient Ryan Moore ride. Motoring with just over 500 metres remaining, he fanned three deep and accelerated with a telling burst to reach contention at the furlong grounds. He clawed his way...

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Opera Ballo
Godolphin's Opera Ballo To Swerve Dubai Turf In Favour Of Summer Campaign

Charlie Appleby's Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) will skip an intended start in the G1 Dubai Turf at the end of March and instead will be pointed to a summer campaign. The Racing Post first reported the news. The winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta earlier this year, the son of Ghaiyyath was set to face fellow Godolphin runner and Group 1 winner Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the contest. Appleby told the publication, "Opera Ballo is in good shape but I don't think a full field of 14 runners going around...

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Salloom
Black-Type Analysis: Salloom Aims For Kentucky Derby Pointer

Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 18:50, UAE OAKS SPONSORED BY DEEPAL-G3, AED800,000, 3yo, f, 1900m Field: Labwah (Charlatan), Tjareed (Yaupon), Dozalla (Upstart), Yuno (Rock Your World), Pretty And Famous (Known Agenda), Auntie Fair (Uncle Chuck), Dialed To Dubai (Dialed In). TDN Analysis: The top four finishers from the 1600-metre Cocoa Beach Stakes (Cond.) reappear in this contest in Labwah, Tjareed, Dozalla and Yuno. The race offers qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Oaks in May. Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, BALANCHINE SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up, SH...

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Salloom
Derby Points Up For Grabs In Dubai, Japan

The Euro/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby continue Friday and Sunday, respectively, with the $217,760 Listed Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby over 1900 meters and the $245,100 Listed Hyacinth Stakes going a one-turn mile at Meydan Racecourse and Tokyo Racecourse. The seventh race on an eight-race card under the Friday night lights at Meydan, the Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby lacks the presence of G3 UAE 2000 Guineas hero Six Speed (Not This Time), who is training up to...

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Salloom
Black-Type Analysis: Salloom Aims For Kentucky Derby Pointer

Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 18:50, UAE OAKS SPONSORED BY DEEPAL-G3, AED800,000, 3yo, f, 1900m Field: Labwah (Charlatan), Tjareed (Yaupon), Dozalla (Upstart), Yuno (Rock Your World), Pretty And Famous (Known Agenda), Auntie Fair (Uncle Chuck), Dialed To Dubai (Dialed In). Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, BALANCHINE SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up, SH 3yo, f/m, 1800mT Field: Dubai Beach (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Dubai Treasure (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Fairy Glen (Fr) (Farhh {GB}), Capitana Bling (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), Riyabovka (Fr) (Caullery), Blue Nazare (Ire) (Dubawi...

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Salloom
Authentic's Salloom Routes Rivals At Meydan, Named 'TDN Rising Star'

Salloom (Authentic), withdrawn after misbehaving and flipping in the stalls on Festive Friday in December, proved worth the wait, drubbing his foes by 6 3/4 lengths in a 1600m main track maiden at Meydan on Friday and was named a 'TDN Rising Star', presented by Hagyard. The final time was 1:37.79. Godolphin's well-regarded National History (Maxfield) could only manage second, however he was 4 1/4 lengths in front of Sary Shayan (Constitution) in third. Part of the early pace discussion, the eventual winner took command with over 1200 metres to...

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Title Role
Too Darn Hot's Title Role Gets Top Billing In The Jumeirah Guineas Trial For Coolmore

The Coolmore partners' Title Role (Too Darn Hot) rattled home a convincing winner of the Jumeirah Guineas Trial sponsored by DP World in the Meydan opener on Friday. Keen early under James Doyle, the Simon and Ed Crisford runner kicked four deep in early straight, seized command at the 300-metre mark and stormed away to victory, his second in four starts. "The slow pace did suit him, as the little worry was going up in trip," said Doyle. "He was the one to beat so the guys were happy to...

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Desert Doings: Saudi-Owned Authentic Colt Looms Large on Debut

In this series, we will have a look predominantly at American-bred first-time juvenile starters (through the end of 2025) and debuting 3-year-olds in maiden races at Meydan Racecourse, with a specific focus on pedigree and/or performance in a sales ring. The flagship venue for racing in the United Arab Emirates is Meydan Racecourse, which will host racing on Fridays through the end of March, with the exception of Super Saturday on Feb. 28 and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 28, 2026. Here are the horses of note for this Friday's...

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Opera Ballo
Ghaiyyath's Opera Ballo Gets His Group 1 In Jebel Hatta

Godolphin's Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) earned his first Group 1 badge in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Friday. The consistent colt gave William Buick his third win on the night. Four-time Group 1 winner Nations Pride (Teofilo) cut out fractions while shadowed by Wathnan Racing's Silawi (Dubawi) for much of this contest. The well-regarded eventual winner stayed in midpack from the jump, but was keen to do more behind his first three rivals. On the bend, Godolphin second-stringer Nations Pride lengthened his advantage, but came back to the field entering...

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Imperial Emperor a New Group 1 Winner For Dubawi In Al Maktoum Challenge

Twelve months on from having completed a Bhupat Seemar one-two finish, Deva Racing's Imperial Emperor (Dubawi) put his stablemate and 2025 winner Walk of Stars (Dubawi) to the sword approaching the final 400 metres of Friday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan and reported home a comfortable winner to punch his ticket to the G1 Dubai World Cup over an extra 100 metres in a couple months' time. In the process, the 6-year-old has become the 64th worldwide elite-level winner for his spectacular sire. Exiting a victory over Commissioner King...

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Heart Of Honor
Black-Type Analysis: Can Heart Of Honor Go All The Way?

Friday, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, post time: 20:25, AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE-G1, AED3,680,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1900m Field: Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Artorious (Arrogate), Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Kabirkhan (Calilfornia Chrome), Killer Collect (Collected), Masmak (Vino Rosso). TDN Analysis: Walk Of Stars held Imperial Emperor to second in last year's edition for trainer Bhupat Seemar who saddles six here. Those two both step forward again, while Seemar stablemate Kabirkhan exploded to a 4...

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Romantic Warrior
Triple World Pool Fixtures On The Weekend

World Pool races will return across three fixtures on Friday-Sunday split between the UAE, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Four races in the UAE on Friday including the G1 Jebel Hatta and the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge, six races in New Zealand on Saturday, among them the G1 Railway Stakes and in Hong Kong on Sunday the G1 Centenary Sprint and the G1 Stewards' Cup complete an even dozen World Pool races for the weekend. The second World Pool Moment of the Day will be chosen from Ellerslie. The Railway...

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