Dubai World Cup fixture set to go ahead despite torrential downpours and ongoing conflict in Middle East

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Dubai will celebrate 30 years of its marquee World Cup fixture on Saturday against a most inauspicious backdrop of torrential rain and war on its doorstep, not that it has stopped some of the world’s very best racehorses turning up.

Since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran, conflict has consumed the Middle East with retaliatory strikes from Iran taking place on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Three fixtures have taken place at Meydan since the war started, but even as US president Donald Trump extended his deadline for bombing Iranian energy infrastructure until April 6 in light of peace negotiations going “very well”, the threat level in the region remains high.

In a post on X on Friday, the UAE ministry of defence said it had shot down six ballistic missiles and nine drones from Iran, bringing the total engagement since the start of the war to 378 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,835 drones.

The post added: “The ministry of defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country.”

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has advised against “all but essential travel to United Arab Emirates” with Iran continuing to “strike civilian infrastructure across the region”.

The FCDO has also reminded UK citizens that it is “illegal to post material, including videos and photographs, online that is critical of the UAE government, companies or individuals, or which relates to incidents in the UAE”. Since the start of the war, over 100 people have been arrested for sharing “false information” in the Emirates, with punishments potentially including imprisonment or a fine of up to 200,000 dirham (£41,000/€47,300).

The UAE ministry of defence “remains fully prepared to deal with any threats”Credit: AFP via Getty Images

As well as the impact of the war on the region, Dubai itself has been hit with torrential downpours with between 100-120mm worth of rain falling on the city in the last two days – equivalent to the total expected rainfall in a year. 

Nevertheless, Dubai Racing Club officials are “confident” the meeting will go ahead, with trainers expecting good to soft turf and a slower dirt surface for the eight-race card, headed by the $12 million Dubai World Cup.

Newmarket trainer Marco Botti is set to be represented on Saturday by Giavellotto in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic, and is not anticipating any issues with the meeting.

He said: “There’s been a few flights cancelled, but it all seems to be under control. I’m sure it’ll go ahead with no issues and the horses and people seem all okay, which is great.”

The World Cup card will also be the culmination of Rebel Racing’s first winter with horses stationed in Dubai after Phil Cunningham’s operation sent ten horses to the emirate to compete. Run Boy Run contests the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint for the owner, although Cunningham will not be travelling to Dubai.

He said: “You try not to get your expectations up and we were hoping we’d get one winner, so to get two and have four seconds has been amazing. The longshot was to have a runner on World Cup night itself, so we’re delighted that’s the case. 

“We’d have never thought it would have been with this fella, but he’s really taken to it over there and he won’t be inconvenienced by the softer going.

“I’m gutted not to be there. From what you see on the news, that is much worse than how it actually is in my experience. We were very well looked after and there were no concerns about our safety with what was happening.”

He added: “The staff and the horses have been fantastic, they’re a tough bunch and I’ve been really impressed with how they’ve been. Nine horses came back last week and only Rosie Hill is left out there with Run Boy Run. Nothing was going to stop her being there on World Cup night.”

Read these next:

‘There are enough niggling concerns’ – can three of the best horses in the world shine on Dubai World Cup night?  

‘The track will suit him perfectly’ – race in focus, three horses to note and the best quotes for the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan  

Organisers ‘confident’ Dubai World Cup will go ahead despite thunderstorms and flooding in the region 

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