Race horse betting fans can rejoice as a New Year signifies another round of the world’s premier horse races taking off. It may still be early in the year, but racebook fans can still look forward to the 2017 Dubai World Cup Carnival. The Dubai World Cup Carnival annually hosts the biggest names of the equestrian world, as well as the higher echelons of Dubai’s society and of course, tens of thousands of horse racing fans. As most horse race gambling online fans know, the Carnival is a giant build up to a monumental event; Dubai World Cup day on Saturday, March 25th. But even though that fabled date is still several months away, there is still plenty of horse racing action for fans to tune in for.
The 2017 Dubai World Cup Carnival will begin at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday, January 5th. The event will be kicked off by Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge that headlines a seven-race card. On opening night, all the focus will be on locally-primed Le Bernadin who will be vying to win the $250,000 Group 2 race for the second time, ultimately becoming the first horse to do so. Le Bernadin will face some startling race horse betting odds, but hopefully racing on the home turf will provide enough familiarity to aid Le Bernadin in this historic quest.
Without a doubt, most of the world’s foremost race horses will be spending the winter in Dubai to compete for a cut of the $10,925,000 prize money offered throughout this year’s 11-meeting Dubai World Cup Carnival. This year’s rendition will have meeting cards every Thursday night at Meydan leading all the way up to February 23rd. Afterwards, the Super Saturday program that will begin on March 4th will take the spotlight followed by the Dubai World Cup card three weeks later on March 25th. Needless to say, there is enough racebook action available to keep even the most ardent fans entertained.
Opening night’s action will feature Purebred Arabians in Group 1 competing in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1. Meanwhile the Thoroughbreds will compete in a featured Group 2 version of the race later on in the night. Both groups’ challenges will be over 16000 meters on Meydan’s dirt surface. The Thoroughbred race has earned a quality field of ten.
As aforementioned, Le Bernadin has a historic opportunity to become the first dual winner. Trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi the reigning victor will be ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, the same jockey who rode him to a win a year ago. However, O’Shea will come into this event facing different circumstances after finishing fourth in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile – a contest he won last season.
Fitzgerald, whom was trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, won the Dubai Creek Mile this season and is widely considered to be one of the most improved horses in the United Arab Emirates. Antonio Fresu will continue to ride Fitzgerald after enjoying success at the Dubai Creek Mile. Most racebook action will go to either Fitzgerald or the reigning Le Bernadin.
