| The first of 10 meetings of the Dubai Cup already | | | | Forty-three group stakes winners are expected to |
| kicked off this week with the opening rounds of the | | | | compete at this year's Carnival and 19 of those are |
| 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival starting last | | | | Group 1 winners. International riding stars Frankie |
| Thursday with a record number of top rated horses | | | | Dettori, Mick Kinane, John Murtagh, Ryan Moore, Ted |
| set to compete in the world’s most international | | | | Durcan and Kevin Shea will be on the scene. |
| and richest festival in racing. | | | | It is a fact that the Dubai Cup has become the favorite |
| The race which is held annually at the Nad Al Sheba | | | | race for horse trainers and owners but also the most |
| Race course, the 2,000m track is the witness of the | | | | important event on the Emirate’s social calendar. |
| Dubai Cup, the biggest day of racing in the global | | | | Off the track; the Arabians offer the Carnival Style |
| calendar with more than US$6 million at stake and the | | | | Stakes and the Super Thursday Style Stakes staged |
| best thoroughbreds in the world. The first meeting of | | | | on February 28th and March 6th where the Best |
| the carnival will be the Super Thursday fixture on | | | | Dressed Lady competition is the feature prize during |
| March 6th, the last step before the Dubai World Cup | | | | both nights. There are also prizes on the Best Dressed |
| staged on March 29th which is sponsored by HH Sh. | | | | Couple and Best Hat winners. |
| Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of | | | | An International Horse Fair staged on March 20th will |
| Dubai, and UAE Minister of Finance & Industry. | | | | be one more of the events to enhance the |
| United Arab Emirates has organized the race since | | | | International Championship and to attract a big amount |
| 1996; the figures for 2008 are clearly superior to | | | | of consumers from around the world. |
| previous years which have proved to be very | | | | Once again, and thanks to its successful trajectory the |
| successful. Actually, from the 263 horses that were | | | | Championship will be broadcasted live on television, |
| accepted, there are 23 individual horses that were | | | | with a great percentage of US viewers which truly |
| successful at Group 1 level in 2007, compared to the | | | | enjoy the majesty of all type of thoroughbreds. |
| 18 of the previous year. | | | | |