Dubai: Dubai Racing Club has announced a new international partnership with York Racecourse that will further strengthen the pathway for Europe's leading middle-distance horses to compete at Meydan Racecourse during the Dubai Racing Carnival. Under the agreement, the winner of the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, one of Britain's most prestigious races for three-year-olds held during York's renowned Ebor Festival, will receive an automatic entry into the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold on Emirates Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse on 27 February 2027, together with international shipping freight provided by Dubai Racing Club.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Great Voltigeur Stakes, first run in 1950, has long been recognised as a key stepping stone for elite middle-distance performers and boasts an honour roll featuring many of the sport's most celebrated horses. The Dubai City of Gold has similarly established itself as one of the world's premier trials for the US$6 million Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, one of the flagship races on Dubai World Cup night. Last season's Dubai City of Gold was won by Godolphin's Rebel's Romance, the nine-time Group 1 winner whose international success has made him one of the most accomplished racehorses of his generation.
The connection between the two races is already well established, with Postponed (2016) and Old Persian (2019) both completing the Great Voltigeur-Dubai City of Gold double before going on to compete successfully on the international stage. Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Racing Club, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating that the Dubai Racing Carnival continues to strengthen its position as an international racing programme, creating meaningful opportunities for the world's best horses to compete globally.
Al Ali emphasized the significance of York Racecourse as one of Britain's iconic sporting venues, and how the Great Voltigeur has consistently produced horses of the highest calibre. By creating a direct pathway from York to Meydan, connections are provided with another opportunity to compete internationally while enhancing the quality and competitiveness of the Dubai City of Gold. William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course at York Racecourse, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the Great Voltigeur Stakes as one of Europe's leading trials for middle-distance horses. He expressed excitement about the initiative, which provides winning connections with a valuable opportunity to extend their campaign onto the international stage at Meydan.
The partnership forms part of Dubai Racing Club's continued strategy to strengthen international racing connections and attract the world's leading horses to compete throughout the Dubai Racing Carnival and on Dubai World Cup night.
