2019 Dubai World Cup

Last updated
2019 Dubai World Cup
Dubai World Cup
Location Meydan Racecourse
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Date30 March 2019
Distance2,000 metres (about 10 furlongs)
Winning horse Thunder Snow
Winning time2:03.87
Jockey Christophe Soumillon
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor
Owner Godolphin
Conditions Fast
SurfaceDirt
  2018
2021 (No race in 2020) 

The 2019 Dubai World Cup was a horse race run at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on 30 March 2019. It was the 24th running of the race. The total prize money for the race was US$12 million, with the winner receiving $7.2 million. This was an increase of $2 million on the previous year, making it the world's richest horse race in 2019. [1] [2]

Contents

The race was won for the second year running by Thunder Snow, who became the first horse to win the Dubai World Cup twice. [3]

Entries

A total of 13 horses were entered for the race, including Godolphin's defending champion Thunder Snow, who was bidding to become the first horse to win the race for a second time. Al Maktoum Challenge winners North America (Rounds 1 and 2) and Capezzano (Round 3) headed a strong local challenge from the United Arab Emirates, which also included Axelrod, Gronkowski and New Trails. The United States was also well represented with Pegasus World Cup runner-up Seeking The Soul, Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Gunnevera, along with Audible, Pavel and Yoshida. The field was completed by Japanese challenger K T Brave and the Korean-trained Dolkong. [4]

Road to Meydan

The contenders' results in key races during the build-up to the Dubai World Cup.

Race card

The draw for the race was made on 27 March. [5] [6]

K T Brave was later withdrawn, reducing the field to 12. [7]

No.DrawHorseWeight (kg) Jockey TrainerOwner
11 Gunnevera (USA)57.0Emisael JaramilloAntonio Sano (USA)Salomón Del Valle
22Capezzano (USA)57.0 Mickael Barzalona Salem bin Ghadayer (UAE)Sultan Ali
33North America (GB)57.0Richard MullenSatish Seemar (UAE) Ramzan Kadyrov
44Audible (USA)57.0 Flavien Prat Todd Pletcher (USA) WinStar Farm, China Horse Club et al.
55Seeking The Soul (USA)57.0 Mike E. Smith Dallas Stewart (USA) Charles E. Fipke
66Pavel (USA)57.0 Joel Rosario Doug O'Neill (USA) Reddam Racing LLC
77 Gronkowski (USA)57.0 Oisin Murphy Salem bin Ghadayer (UAE)Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd
88Axelrod (USA)57.0Royston FfrenchSalem bin Ghadayer (UAE)Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd & Slam Dunk Racing
99New Trails (USA)57.0Connor BeasleyAhmad bin Harmash (UAE)Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi
1010Yoshida (JPN)57.0 José Ortiz Bill Mott (USA)China Horse Club, WinStar Farm et al.
NRNRK T Brave (JPN)57.0 João Moreira Haruki Sugiyama (JPN)Kazuyoshi Takimoto
1212 Thunder Snow (IRE)57.0 Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor (GB) Godolphin
1313Dolkong (USA)57.0 Olivier Doleuze Simon Foster (KOR)Lee Tae In

Race

Summary

North America was fastest out of the gates and took an early lead, with defending champion Thunder Snow breaking well from the second widest draw to move in behind the leader, alongside Capezzano, who was pulling hard on the inside. As the horses settled, Gronkowski moved through to challenge North America for the lead, with the leaders closely followed by Thunder Snow, Capezzano and New Trails. The positions at the front of the race remained unchanged until the final bend, where Capezzano and New Trails quickly faded. Into the home straight, North America started to drop back as Thunder Snow challenged Gronkowski for the lead. The two horses, now clear of the rest of the field, battled all the way to the line, with Thunder Snow getting up to win by a nose in a photo finish, becoming the first horse to win two Dubai World Cups. Gunnevera ran on from the back to take third place, with Pavel staying on to finish fourth. [8] [9]

Full result

Thunder Snow (left) defeating Gronkowski in a photo finish to win the 2019 Dubai World Cup. 2019 Dubai World Cup 20190331 13.jpg
Thunder Snow (left) defeating Gronkowski in a photo finish to win the 2019 Dubai World Cup.
PositionMarginHorseJockeyTrainerPrize
1 Thunder Snow Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor $7,200,000
2nose Gronkowski Oisin Murphy Salem bin Ghadayer$2,400,000
3 Gunnevera Emisael JaramilloAntonio Sano$1,200,000
4½Pavel Joel Rosario Doug O'Neill $600,000
5short headAudible Flavien Prat Todd Pletcher $360,000
6Yoshida José Ortiz Bill Mott $240,000
7North AmericaRichard MullenSatish Seemar
8headSeeking The Soul Mike E. Smith Dallas Stewart
9neckAxelrodRoyston FfrenchSalem bin Ghadayer
10New TrailsConnor BeasleyAhmad bin Harmash
116Dolkong Olivier Doleuze Simon Foster
1217Capezzano Mickael Barzalona Salem bin Ghadayer

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References

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  2. "Dubai World Cup: The richest race day returns with $35 million prize purse". CNN. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  3. "Thunder Snow makes history as the only horse to win Dubai World Cup twice". Racing Post . Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  4. "Cards: Meydan 30 MAR 2019 1m2f Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (Group 1) (Dirt)". Racing Post. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  5. "Thunder Snow gets Gate 12 draw for Dubai World Cup title defence". The National. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. "Racecard / Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline". Emirates Racing Authority. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  7. "Dubai World Cup runners: field down to 12 horses after K T Brave withdraws". The National. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  8. "Thunder Snow wins $12m Dubai World Cup". Gulf News. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  9. "Thunder Snow wins 2019 Dubai World Cup in thrilling photo finish". The National. Retrieved 31 March 2019.