Dubai Turf
United Arab Emirates | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Dubai Turf is a Group 1 middle distance race for four year olds and up conducted by the Dubai Racing Club at Meydan.
The Dubai Turf was first run in 1996 won by Key Of Luck. It was previously known as the Dubai Duty Free until 2014.
The Dubai Turf was initially run on dirt at 2000m but when it moved to turf in 2000, it was 1777m.
The race became a Group 1 in 2002 and when moved to Meydan it went to 1800m.
It is run on Dubai World Cup night as the feature turf middle distance race on the program.
Lord North became the first horse to win the race twice with his dead heat in 2022 and Frankie Dettori has most jockey wins at two plus that dead heat. Lord North won again a year later.
Leading trainer is Saeed bin Suroor with six victories.
The 2001 edition was a famous clash of three of the best on turf around this trip to be racing each other. Jim And Tonic prevailed over Fairy King Prawn and Sunline.
The latter two had fought out a gigantic clash at Sha Tin in December.
In 2005 Australian stallion Elvstroem headed to Nad Al Sheba after defeat in the Australian Cup. Nash Rawiller took him to the front and he controlled the race.
Right there to be challenged at the 400m, he sprinted too fast and won with such ease.
Benbatl won his first international G1 winning the Dubai Turf with ease. He'd then win a G1 in Germany before heading to Australia and winning the Caulfield Stakes. He'd then run bravely to Winx in her fourth Cox Plate victory.
Japanese great mare Almond Eye returned from a spell to easily win in 2019. She was developing a great record and kept going until the end of her career with a superb Japan Cup victory.
There was a dead heat in 2004 and again in 2022 when Lord North and Panthalassa hit the line together. Lord North also won 2021 and 2023 runnings either side.
The Dubai Turf was worth US$5million in 2024.
It was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
The winners include Lord North (2021/2022/2023), Almond Eye (2019), Benbatl (2018), Real Steel (2016), Solow (2015), Cityscape (2012), Presvis (2011), Jay Peg (2008), Admire Moon (2007), Elvstroem (2005), Jim And Tonic (2001), Annus Mirabilis (1998) and Tamayaz (1997).
The 2024 Dubai Turf was won by Facteur Cheval from Namur and Danon Beluga.
Previous Dubai Turf Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
FACTEUR CHEVAL
(IRE)
5G RIBCHESTER (IRE) - JAWLAAT (IRE) SHAMARDAL (USA) |
MAXIME GUYON | 57.0 | JEROME REYNIER | 8 |
|
|
LORD NORTH
(IRE)
7G DUBAWI (IRE) - NAJOUM (USA) GIANT'S CAUSEWAY (USA) |
LANFRANCO DETTORI | 57.0 | JOHN & THADY GOSDEN | 3 |
|
|
PANTHALASSA
(JPN)
5H LORD KANALOA (JPN) - MISS PEMBERLEY (IRE) MONTJEU (IRE) |
Y YOSHIDA | 57.0 | Y YAHAGI | 11 |
|
|
LORD NORTH
(IRE)
6G DUBAWI (IRE) - NAJOUM (USA) GIANT'S CAUSEWAY (USA) |
LANFRANCO DETTORI | 57.0 | JOHN GOSDEN | 8 |
|
|
LORD NORTH
(IRE)
5G DUBAWI (IRE) - NAJOUM (USA) GIANT'S CAUSEWAY (USA) |
LANFRANCO DETTORI | 57.0 | JOHN GOSDEN | 9 |
|
|
ALMOND EYE
(JPN)
4F LORD KANALOA (JPN) - FUSAICHI PANDORA (JPN) SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) |
C P LEMAIRE | 55.0 | SAKAE KUNIEDA | 7 |
|
|
BENBATL
(GB)
4H DUBAWI (IRE) - NAHRAIN (GB) SELKIRK (USA) |
OISIN MURPHY | 57.0 | SAEED BIN SUROOR | 5 |
|
|
VIVLOS
(JPN)
4F DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - HALWA SWEET (JPN) MACHIAVELLIAN (USA) |
JOAO MOREIRA | 55.0 | Y TOMOMICHI | 9 |
|
|
REAL STEEL
(JPN)
4H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - LOVES ONLY ME (USA) STORM CAT (USA) |
RYAN MOORE | 57.0 | Y YAHAGI | 14 |
|
|
SOLOW
(GB)
5G SINGSPIEL (IRE) - HIGH MAINTENANCE (FR) HIGHEST HONOR (FR) |
MAXIME GUYON | 57.0 | FREDDIE HEAD | 10 |
|
|
JUST A WAY
(JPN)
5H HEART'S CRY (JPN) - SIBYL (JPN) WILD AGAIN (USA) |
Y FUKUNAGA | 57.0 | N SUGAI | 2 |
|
|
SAJJHAA
(GB)
6M KING'S BEST (USA) - ANAAMIL (IRE) DARSHAAN (GB) |
SILVESTRE DE SOUSA | 55.0 | SAEED BIN SUROOR | 5 |
|
|
CITYSCAPE
(GB)
6H SELKIRK (USA) - TANTINA (USA) DISTANT VIEW (USA) |
JAMES DOYLE | 57.0 | R CHARLTON | 11 |
|
|
PRESVIS
(GB)
7G SAKHEE (USA) - FOREST FIRE (SWE) NEVER SO BOLD (IRE) |
RYAN MOORE | 57.5 | L M CUMANI | 6 |
|
|
AL SHEMALI
(GB)
6H MEDICEAN (GB) - BATHILDE (IRE) GENEROUS (IRE) |
ROYSTON FFRENCH | 57.5 | ALI RASHID AL RAIHE | 7 |
|
|
GLADIATORUS
(USA)
4H SILIC (FR) - GMAASHA (IRE) KRIS (GB) |
AHMED AJTEBI | 57.5 | M BIN SHAFYA | 2 |
|
|
JAY PEG
(SAF)
4H CAMDEN PARK (USA) - LAPTOP LADY (SAF) AL MUFTI (USA) |
ANTON MARCUS | 57.5 | HERMAN BROWN | 14 |
|
|
ADMIRE MOON
(JPN)
4H END SWEEP (USA) - MY KATIES (JPN) SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) |
YUTAKA TAKE | 57.5 | H MATSUDA | 10 |
|
|
DAVID JUNIOR
(USA)
4H PLEASANT TAP (USA) - PARADISE RIVER (USA) IRISH RIVER (FR) |
J P SPENCER | 57.5 | B J MEEHAN | 1 |
|
|
ELVSTROEM
(AUS)
4H DANEHILL (USA) - CIRCLES OF GOLD (AUS) MARSCAY (AUS) |
N RAWILLER | 57.5 | TONY VASIL | 14 |
|
|
RIGHT APPROACH
(GB)
5H MACHIAVELLIAN (AUS) - ABBEY STRAND (USA) SHADEED (USA) |
WEICHONG MARWING | 57.5 | M F DE KOCK | 7 |
|
|
PAOLINI
(GER)
7H LANDO (GER) - PRAIRIE DARLING (IRE) STANFORD (GB) |
EDUARDO PEDROZA | 57.5 | A WOHLER | 4 |
|
|
IPI TOMBE
(ZIM)
4M MANSHOOD (GB) - CARNET DE DANSE (GB) DANCE IN TIME (CAN) |
KEVIN SHEA | 55.5 | M F DE KOCK | |
|
|
TERRE A TERRE
(FR)
5M KALDOUNEVEES (FR) - TOUJOURS JUSTE (FR) ALWAYS FAIR (USA) |
C SOUMILLON | 55.5 | E LIBAUD | 3 |
|
|
JIM AND TONIC
(FR)
7G DOUBLE BED (FR) - JIMKA (FR) JIM FRENCH (USA) |
G MOSSE | 57.5 | FRANCOIS DOUMEN | 8 |
|
|
RHYTHM BAND
(USA)
4H COZZENE (USA) - GOLDEN WAVE BAND (USA) DIXIELAND BAND (USA) |
T E DURCAN | 57.5 | SAEED BIN SUROOR |
Related News
$21m-earner joins Yulong roster, fee increases for star freshmen.
Bidding to thwart Golden Sixty’s quest for a fourth HK$22 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on 28 April, Voyage Bubble and Beauty Eternal limbered up for their clash with the Hong Kong’s champion with solid barrier trials at Sha Tin on Thursday (18 April).
The Fownes name has been synonymous with Hong Kong racing across the past 40-plus years and Caspar, son of former trainer Lawrie, became only the fourth horseman after John Moore (1,735), John Size (1,535) and Tony Cruz (1,502) to reach 1,100 Hong Kong wins on Wednesday night (17 April) at Happy Valley.
Jerome Reynier has some lofty targets both on home soil and across the Channel for his impressive Prix Djebel winner Lazzat.
The winners of the 9 races come from a wide selection of jurisdictions.
California Spangle has charged to record-breaking victory in the HK$11.7 million G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m), defeating a world-class field to provide Tony Cruz and Brenton Avdulla with career highlights at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday (30 March).
Chasing his first elite success in the United Arab Emirates, John Size believes Sight Success is reaping the benefits of previously travelling to Dubai as the gelding prepares to tackle the HK$11.7 million Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) at Meydan Racecourse tonight (30 March).
Caspar Fownes is hopeful Straight Arron can prove his wares against elite opposition, including Voyage Bubble, in the HK$39 million G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at Meydan on Saturday night (30 March) despite drawing barrier 12.
Aiming to secure a second major success at Meydan Racecourse, Ricky Yiu believes Voyage Bubble has the class and preparation to strongly contend in the HK$39 million G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) on Saturday (30 March).
Punters from Australia will be able to join with bettors from all corners of the globe to wager on two races from Flemington, two races from Rosehill and all eight thoroughbred races from Meydan's Dubai World Cup meeting.
Tony Cruz is confident California Spangle can defy convention by reprising elite sprinting form and pressing for victory in the HK$11.7 million G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday night (30 March).
There are 23 Japanese runners here and most if not all were on the track at 5 a.m. this morning.
Multiple Group 1 winner Nashwa is expected to give a good account on her first trip to Dubai this weekend.
Great stayers from around the world have had success in the Dubai Sheema Classic run at Meydan on Saturday.
