62 race dates lined up for the new UAE horse racing season

The new season will include 20 race meetings at Meydan (pictured), 11 at Jebel Ali Racecourse, 15 at Abu Dhabi, 10 meetings at Al Ain Racecourse and six at Sharjah Racecourse

The smell of winter in the air, the dew hanging across, the sound of hooves thundering down and kicking up some dirt - it is that time of the year again.
It is perhaps an overused cliché but it holds true here as it is indeed the calm, the tranquillity before the storm.
Seven months since Arrogate made one of the most stirring comebacks on Dubai World Cup night, the UAE horse racing season will head back into the starting gates yet again on November 3.
And, there promises to be plenty of action for racegoers from the start of November right up until the end of March next year.
There are a whopping 62 race dates lined up across the five months, across five racecourses, with the traditional season-opener at the Jebel Ali Racecourse on November 3. And the season concludes with the UAE biggest social event of the year - the Dubai World Cup - on March 31, 2018.
The fixture list for the racing season was approved by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Emirates Racing Authority (ERA).
"The schedule offers trainers and racegoers a comprehensive season of racing across our five tracks," Malih Al Basti, ERA Board Member and Chairman of the ERA Steering Committee said.
"We offer racing for domestic and international horses in both the Thoroughbred and Purebred Arabian ranks and look forward to the start of another successful season of racing in the UAE," he added.
Apart from the Jebel Ali Racecourse, races will be held at the iconic Meydan Racecourse, venue of the Dubai World Cup, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club and Al Ain Racecourse.
After the season-opener at Jebel Ali Racecourse, action shifts to the UAE Capital a day later with Dubai hosting its first race meeting of the season on November 9. Sharjah Racecourse gets in on the action on November 11, while Al Ain Racecourse will have their first meeting on November 24.
The new season will include 20 race meetings at Meydan, 11 at Jebel Ali Racecourse, 15 at Abu Dhabi, 10 meetings at Al Ain Racecourse and six at Sharjah Racecourse.
The international racing season and the run-up to the Dubai World Cup begins next January with the opening Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting at the Meydan Racecourse on January 11. The 23rd renewal of the Dubai World Cup is scheduled for March 31. The Dubai World Cup Carnival will have 10 race meetings.
Meanwhile, Meydan has upgraded the Dubai World Cup Carnival races Singspiel Stakes, Dubawi Stakes and the Meydan Sprint. Singspiel Stakes and Dubawi Stakes have move up to Group 3, while Meydan Sprint promoted is now a Group 2 feature. The distance of the Meydan Classic Turf has been increased from 1400 metres to 1600 metres.
As far as racing experience goes, Meydan is rolling out some new initiatives this season to go along with the regular ones, to make race-going more of a community-based event.
Apart from the Saturday Terrace Brunch, Meydan has launched 'Supper At Meydan' on February 17, which is a Carnival night.
Across the five months, it promises to be an intense battle between the horses and the horsemen. The UAE Champion Trainer Doug Watson will be aiming for a treble, while the UAE Champion Jockey Richard Mullen will look to stave off the challenge from multiple winner Tadhg O'Shea and retain his title.
Watson had 40 wins, 37 second-place finishes and 33 third spots in 366 runs last season. Satish Seemar, who was second, had 38 victories, 25 seconds and 27 third-placed finishes in 359 runs.
Mullen, meanwhile, notched 52 wins in 354 runs, while O'Shea had 50 race wins in 335 runs.
Last year's UAE Champion Owner Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda had 34 race wins in 274 runs.
james@khaleejtimes.com