The winners of four Group 1 races on Dubai World Cup night – including the $12 million main event – will receive direct entry to the Breeders' Cup World Championships in the US later this year thanks to a new partnership between the two prestigious events.
The Breeders' Cup is an annual series of Grade 1 thoroughbred races, with this year’s meeting taking place in Del Mar, California, across October 31 and November 1.
The Dubai Racing Club on Monday announced a partnership whereby winners of the Dubai World Cup, Dubai Golden Shaheen, Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf will gain automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
The invitation will then be reciprocated, with four winners from October's racing in the US gaining automatic entry to the corresponding Group 1 races at the 2026 Dubai World Cup meeting.
The partnership adds yet more prestige to the UAE's marquee horse racing event – slated for April 5 at Meydan Racecourse with a total prize fund of $30.5 million – with even more now at stake for the runners in the event's signature races.
“This is a significant development for international horse racing, further strengthening the positioning of the Dubai World Cup and the Breeders’ Cup – two of the most important international meetings on the horse racing calendar,” said Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook, chairman of Dubai Racing Club.
“We are delighted to enter this partnership and thank the Breeders’ Cup team for expanding their Challenge Series, allowing four winners from the Dubai World Cup 2025 meeting to compete in America later this year and we look forward to welcoming winners from the Breeders’ Cup 2025 at the Dubai World Cup 2026, in March next year.”
The Dubai World Cup winner will earn a direct spot to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, while the victor in the Dubai Golden Shaheen goes into the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
The winner of Dubai Sheema Classic gains entry to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Dubai Turf winner goes in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
“Breeders’ Cup Limited is very pleased to expand our international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series with the addition of the Dubai World Cup, the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the Dubai Sheema Classic, and the Dubai Turf,” said Drew Fleming, president and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited.
“This partnership with our friends at the Dubai Racing Club speaks to continued progress made towards the global unification of our great sport and rewards international contenders for competing at the highest level.
“We appreciate the spirit of collaboration and the shared pursuit of excellence that brought this opportunity about and look forward to welcoming four Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners from Meydan to Del Mar.”
As part of the arrangement, the Breeders’ Cup will cover the entry fees for the winners of the four Dubai races to compete in their respective divisions at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships 2025. A travel allowance will also be provided for all starters based outside North America.
The Dubai World Cup is firmly established as one of the highlights of the UAE sporting calendar. In 2024, there was special significance as Bhupat Seemar became the first local trainer to win the coveted $12 million prize race.
Saddling Laurel River in the silks of the renowned Saudi Arabian owners Juddmonte Farms and ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, the 12-time UAE champion and all-time leading jockey in the country, it turned out to be an historic occasion for the Zabeel Stables trainer and rider.
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