Four Dubai World Cup Races Join Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

Dubai Racing Club announces partnership with Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, whereby winners of the G1 Dubai World Cup, G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Dubai Turf will gain automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup meeting.

With this move, the Dubai World Cup meeting – set to take place on Saturday, 5 April 2025 – held at the iconic Meydan Racecourse and known as the world’s most spectacular race day, further cements its status as one of the premier global horseracing events, attracting elite horses and connections from around the world.

Sheikh Rashed Bin Dalmook Bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, commented: “This is a significant development for international horseracing, further strengthening the positioning of the Dubai World Cup and the Breeders’ Cup – two of the most important international meetings on the horseracing calendar.”

“We are delighted to enter this partnership and thank the Breeders’ Cup team for expanding their Challenge Series, allowing four winners from the Dubai World Cup 2025 meeting to compete in America later this year and we look forward to welcoming winners from the Breeders’ Cup 2025 at the Dubai World Cup 2026, in March next year.”

Winners of the Dubai World Cup (G1), Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1), and Dubai Turf (G1) will earn automatic spots in corresponding Breeders’ Cup races:

o Dubai World Cup → Breeders’ Cup Classic

o Dubai Golden Shaheen → Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint

o Dubai Sheema Classic → Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf

o Dubai Turf → Breeders’ Cup Mile

This year’s Breeders’ Cup is being held at Del Mar, California, on 31 October – 1 November.

Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited, said: “Breeders’ Cup Limited is very pleased to expand our international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series with the addition of the Dubai World Cup, the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the Dubai Sheema Classic, and the Dubai Turf.

“This partnership with our friends at the Dubai Racing Club speaks to continued progress made toward the global unification of our great sport and rewards international contenders for competing at the highest level. We appreciate the spirit of collaboration

and the shared pursuit of excellence that brought this opportunity about and look forward to welcoming four Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners from Meydan to Del Mar.”

Included in the benefits of the arrangement between Breeders’ Cup Limited and the Dubai Racing Club, the winners of the four Breeders’ Cup races will receive an automatic starting position and free entry into the corresponding races at the 2026 Dubai World Cup meeting.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Dubai quartet to start in their respective divisions at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20, 2025, to receive the rewards.

For more information, visit dubairacingclub.com and breederscup.com

ENDS

ABOUT DUBAI RACING CLUB

Dubai Racing Club (DRC) organises and hosts horseracing at Meydan Racecourse, from November through to April, including the Dubai Racing Carnival and the Dubai World Cup – known as the world’s most spectacular race day.

Today, the Dubai World Cup is the highlight of Dubai’s sporting and social calendar and attracts the best horses and riders from all over the world, with a total prize money of US$ 30.5 million for the showcase of nine races, including US$ 12 million at stake in the title contest. In 2025, the Dubai World Cup will take place on Saturday, 5 April.

ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP

Breeders’ Cup Limited administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races through partnerships with host countries around the globe, and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. The Breeders’ Cup operates under the national, uniform rules and regulations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and its Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races run during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Del Mar, California.