Meydan's Carnival Meet Sees International Support

Winners from five different countries celebrated success during the 2025-26 Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan Racecourse—the most in the 22-year history of the event. Horses trained in the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Oman provided 22 overseas winners during 16 race meetings. That made this the best Carnival yet for international trainers and owners. Dubai Racing Club welcomed 47 international trainers during the Carnival—horsemen from the UK, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Czechia, Spain, Oman, Hong Kong, and Ireland. In total, 130 overseas-trained horses raced at Meydan, accounting for more than 20% of the overall runners. There were many highlights, including a Danish double Jan. 30, when Soren Jensen's Taifuu (DEN) won the (unlisted) Mawj Stakes and Great Wish (IRE), trained by Bent Olsen, won the Dubai Sprint Stakes. Great Wish has now been invited to the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) at the March 28 Dubai World Cup meeting. British trainer Jamie Osborne enjoyed an excellent Carnival, with six winners, including Heart Of Honor (GB) in the Entisar Stakes and Brotherly Love (GB) in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes. Both will take their chances on World Cup day, in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and the UAE Derby (G2), respectively. UK-based South African trainer Dylan Cunha also tasted success, with two winners, the same number as his Newmarket colleague Richard Spencer. France, too, got on the board with Carnival regular Nicolas Caullery winning the One Thousand Guineas with Piana (FR). "This has been by far the most international Dubai Racing Carnival with the largest number of horses as well as trainers," said Erwan Charpy, DRC's head of department for racing operations and international relations. "We have been running our quarantines at full capacity and enjoyed an average of 12 runners per race throughout the full Carnival. I would like to thank John Nicholls and the teams at Dubai International Stables and Dubai World Cup Quarantine for looking after everyone so well." Meydan will welcome more international runners over the next two weeks, with horses from Japan, the UK, France, and the United States arriving for the 30th Dubai World Cup day March 28.