A total of 147 horses from 17 different countries nominated for nine-week jamboree – including 11 from Doug O’Neill, who had four winners at Meydan in 2022
• Full list of horses accepted for Dubai Carnival 2023
UAE: Nearly 150 horses from 17 countries spread across five continents have been accepted to run at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on Friday, January 6 at the UAE’s flagship racecourse Meydan.
The 20th edition of the carnival, which began at Nad Al Sheba in 2004, features nine weeks of racing before the Dubai World Cup, which takes place on Saturday, March 25, for which a separate set of nominations will be received. A total of 147 entries have been accepted from overseas, among them nine individual G1 winners.
California-based trainer Doug O’Neill enjoyed an excellent Dubai stint in 2022, saddling four winners from 19 runners. He has nominated a team of 11, including G2 winner Slow Down Andy, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, plus Get Back Goldie, winner of the Oud Metha Stakes at Meydan last season, and three-year-old B Dawk, sixth in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby.
Joining O’Neill from the US could be fellow Classic-winning trainer Dallas Stewart, who has nominated G2 winner Long Range Toddy.
South America enjoyed plenty of success at the 2022 carnival and they are back again, with Classic-winning three-year-olds Nino Guapo and El Musical – one-two in the Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) at Palermo in November featuring among nine acceptors for Argentina.
Trainer Ricardo Colombo sends over the exciting Loreley, winner of the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Uruguayan 2,000 Guineas) on dirt at Maronas in September.
Australian trainer Will Clarken saddled He’s A Balter to finish fourth in the G2 Blue Point Sprint last season at Meydan and he has nominated the gelding again, along with Beau Rossa and Ironclad.
South Korea, successful at the carnival in the past, are set to return to Dubai after a break of a couple of years. Trainer Youn Gu Park has nominated Haengbok Wangia, while Young Kwan Kim has put forward another US-bred, King Of The Match.
From Britain, the Charlie Hills-trained Equilateral is set to visit for a third time, alongside stablemate Khaadem, a G2 winner since running at Meydan last season. Richard Hannon has put forward Group winners Chindit and Happy Romance. The latter was second in the Al Quoz Sprint in March on World Cup night.
“We are delighted with the strength of nominations which we have received from across the world for the carnival,” said Stephanie Cooley, the Dubai Racing Club’s international liaison.
"To have nations such as South Korea, who have suffered from Covid restrictions in recent years, returning is gratifying, and it's also superb to welcome back many returning equine stars as well as some new faces from the UK, Ireland and the USA.”
• Visit the Dubai Racing Club website
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