Since its inception in 1996, the Dubai World Cup has held a lofty position among the world’s most valuable races. While overtaken by the $20 million Saudi Cup, which debuted in 2020, the Meydan showstopper remains one of the most valuable and prestigious contests on the planet.
The jewel in the Dubai racing crown topped the bill on Dubai World Cup Night on Saturday, 28th March. As ever, it wasn’t all about the feature event on a card laden with quality and offering a total purse of $30.5 million.
With such riches on offer, the most talented runners in the world can be relied upon to turn up at Meydan in March. Such was the case in 2026, with two of the European stars of 2025 shining on the undercard, before the USA stole the show in the feature event.
90% Ombudsman Too Good for Turf Rivals
| Positon | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ombudsman | John & Thady Gosden | William Buick | 2/5 |
| 2nd | Quddwah | Simon & Ed Crisford | Cristian Demuro | 8/1 |
| 3rd | Andreas Vesalius | A bin Harmash | Connor Beasley | 50/1 |
The first of the European juggernauts took to the stage in the $4 million Dubai Turf. In sending Ombudsman to Meydan for his first overseas assignment, the John and Thady Gosden team were returning to a happy hunting ground. Thanks to the exploits of Lord North, who won three successive editions between 2021 and 2023, the Gosdens are responsible for the most successful horse in the history of this 1m1f event.
Three years on from that most recent triumph, the Newmarket yard saddled a runner who, for a short time, was the highest-rated horse on the planet in 2025. The Night Of Thunder colt has since lost that honour, but an official rating of 128 still placed Ombudsman 10 pounds and more ahead of his international rivals in this event.
With so much in hand, the mount of William Buick was entitled to win easily and, in the end, he did. Well positioned throughout by Godolphin’s number one rider, Ombudsman quickened smartly once into the straight to run down the leaders and pull clear for a two-length success. While not as exhilarating as his best efforts from 2025, this marked a fine return for a horse John Gosden suggested was only “coming here at 90%”. Once up to 100%, Ombudsman’s rivals may have their work cut out in races such as the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Coral Eclipse, and Juddmonte International.
Calandagan Confirms Number One Status
| Positon | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Calandagan | F-H Graffard | Mickael Barzalona | 1/4 |
| 2nd | West Wind Blows | Simon & Ed Crisford | Rossa Ryan | 33/1 |
| 3rd | Giavellotto | Marco Botti | James Doyle | 16/1 |
Looking back to the 2025 edition of Dubai World Cup Night illustrates just how much can change in the space of a year. Twelve months ago, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Calandagan finished second in the Dubai Sheema Classic, taking his record in Group 1 contests to a consistent but frustrating 2-2-2. Following that up with yet another runner-up effort in the Coronation Cup, it seemed to be a case of always the bridesmaid and never the bride for this talented son of Gleneagles.
Fast forward to 2026, and Calandagan arrived at Dubai World Cup Night as the highest-rated racehorse in the world. Blowing the bridesmaid theory out of the water with spectacular wins in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Champion Stakes (with Ombudsman in second), and Japan Cup, Calandagan had Sheema Classic redemption in his sights.
On a weekend of unusually severe storms in Dubai, West Wind Blows came close to causing a topical shock. Enterprisingly ridden by Rossa Ryan, the seven-year-old held a five-length lead halfway up the home straight and looked to have most of his rivals beaten off. All bar Calandagan. Once asked to quicken by Mickael Barzalona, the Aga Khan Studs runner began to eat up the ground with his giant stride. Grabbing West Wind Blows inside the final hundred yards, the French ace forged on to score by a cosy three-quarters of a length. Having now struck at the highest level in Britain, France, Japan, and Dubai, Graffard suggested Calandagan may attempt to add Australia to his collection in the 2026 Cox Plate.
Task too big for Japanese Ace as Magnitude Prevails
| Positon | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Magnitude | Steven Asmussen | Jose L Ortiz | 15/2 |
| 2nd | Forever Young | Yoshito Yahagi | Ryusei Sakai | 8/11 |
| 3rd | Meydaan | Simon & Ed Crisford | William Buick | 10/3 |
Following the victories of Ombudsman and Calandagan, focus switched to the third short-priced favourite on the Dubai World Cup Night card. With just under £23 million in career earnings to his name, Forever Young arrived in Meydan as the second-highest-earning horse of all time. A win in the Dubai World Cup would see him overhaul Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior at the top of the table.
Arriving on a three-race winning streak, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic and a successful defence of his Saudi Cup crown, the Yoshito Yahagi legend started as the 8/11 favourite. However, just as had been the case in 2025, when finishing second at odds of 4/9, the mount of Ryusei Sakai again found one too good.
Steve Asmussen’s US raider Magnitude was the horse to upset favourite backers this time, thanks to a brilliantly executed front-running display. Grabbing the lead from stall 1, Jose Ortiz judged the pace to perfection aboard a horse who had never previously won in Grade 1 company. Saving enough petrol to kick again off the home bend, Magnitude had Forever Young hard at work in pursuit. To his credit, the Japanese star clawed back much of the ground but still found himself a length adrift at the line as Magnitude held on for a famous success.