THE countdown to the 20th Dubai World Cup has begun with Dubai RacingClub’s announcement of the 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival programme at Meydan Racecourse.

Consisting of eleven race meetings spread over a three-month season, the Dubai World Cup Carnival carries prize money in excess of US$38m. Racing gets underway on Thursday January 8, 2015 and is headlined by the $29.25m Dubai World Cup day on Saturday March 28, 2015.

Meanwhile the eight-meeting Racing at Meydan season, which starts on Thursday November 6, 2014 will run alongside the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival offers racehorse trainers a comprehensive preparation programme, run on Meydan Racecourse’s dirt and turf tracks, for both Dubai World Cup day and the preceding Super Saturday on March 7, 2015, the dress rehearsal for the world’s richest race.

Martin Talty, Dubai Racing Club’s International Manager said: “We are pleased to release the programme for 2015. Year on year we are seeing large numbers of high-class international horses compete at Meydan Racecourse and we are confident that 2015 will be no different.

“With the milestone running of the 20th Dubai World Cup we are entering a big season for Dubai Racing Club. The prize purses for the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Dubai Duty Free were both increased to $6m each last season to mark the occasion and we are confident that we will be successful in attracting if not equal numbers then even greater numbers of international competitors for the coming season.”

Last year Meydan Racecourse played host to some of the biggest names in world racing including Japanese superstars Gentildonna and Just A Way, winners of the Dubai Sheema Classic presented by Longines and Dubai Duty Free sponsored by Dubai Duty Free respectively.

Godolphin’s African Story was successful in the $10m Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates while Hong Kong speedballs, Amber Sky and Sterling City took out the Al Quoz Sprint powered by IPIC and the Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News. South Africa’s Variety Club was the runaway winner of the Godolphin Mile sponsored by Meydan Sobha.