Sunday Times
29th March 2026
As racing acts of defiance go this must rank up there with the best of them. 30 years since the Dubai World Cup was created with the express purpose of bringing star thoroughbreds back to the lands of their forefathers, the world’s two highest rated horses travelled from France and Japan along with top runners England, Ireland and America in front of a crowd which made up with enthusiasm for its lack of numbers.
For a moment forget the distractions. Of course there were missile scares. This is the Gulf, that’s what’s happening. The UAE has received over 2000 missiles since this war started. Thirty seven drones and 20 ballistics came in yesterday. But statistically you are much more likely to get hurt falling off your bike which I actually did down by the beach this morning – only a grazed knee if you are asking. Horses and people had travelled to Dubai to test them in in top competition. Cancellation was for the faint hearted.
The sun came out to support us. After 60 mm of rain and storm, the course dried out so that the going was officially “good” on the turf and “fast” on the dirt. The mind-blowing, three quarter mile length of the Meydan grandstand which had looked so friendless during the week was buzzing with flags and life and expectation. Last year’s 60,000 crowd may have dropped to nearer 15,000 but the bands and bustle made the place feel anything but apologetic and forlorn.
For we had come for the racing – and we got it. Calandagan is the world’s highest rated horse on turf. The Aga Khan’s team travelled him over from Chantilly to duly run down what had seemed an escaping hare in the Sheema Classic. Forever Young is the world’s highest rated horse on dirt and had already banked an incredible £22 million for his owners. But in the World Cup his hare was an American horse called Magnitude. He could not get nearer than a length at the line and so the presentation closed with stands echoing to the US national anthem.
Ombudsman is only rated a pound or two behind Calandagan and the Gosden team had flown him over from Newmarket to start his season in the Dubai Turf. The challenge of being primed enough to win but with capacity to still handle a year which is likely to stretch to the autumn is a challenge his trainer shared with that Francis Graffard had with Calandagan.
“It’s a great sense of relief”, said Gosden of Ombudsman. “It’s not easy coming out of a winter in England, bringing a horse in ready to run. I think he’ll come on for the race. He was probably coming in here at 90 per cent but it was enough to get the job done. “
William Buick still had a bit to do as he swung wide into the straight but although he had to fairly roust Ombudsman up into top gear you never felt that his odds of 2-5 were seriously in danger.
Calandagan started at the cold stone certainty price of 1-4 but for quite a time you were having to trust to his reputation rather than his position.
Coming to the turn he was way, way off the front running West Wind Blows. Straightening up it looked near impossible. But this is a horse who is the ultimate deceiver. As a two year old he behaved so moderately and seemed so ordinary that he was gelded after his only run that season In the paddock yesterday his light frame was the least impressive of the six runners. He hadn’t run since last November. At that last bend he had 10 lengths to catch the leader. At the 300 metre mark it is still 6 lengths, at the 200 still 4, at 100 just a length but at the line he had it well nailed.
Although West Wind Blows is a decent citizen, beating him by three quarters of a length is not superstardom. But the way it was done inspires and moves those who watch him, not least his trainer. “He is a fantastic champion and I’m so lucky to train a horse of this calibre,” said Francis Graffard. “This race was tactical and I was a little bit worried but when he found his stride in the straight he was just unbelievable to watch. This is his fifth Group 1 in a row and he has a big reputation so I felt a lot of pressure today. We’re ready to kick on again this season.”
West Wind Blow’s second place was part of the greatest night yet for the father and son training partnership of Simon and Ed Crisford who also saddled Fairy Glen to win the Dubai Gold Cup, Qudwah to be second to Ombudsman and Meydaan to run third to Magnitude and Forever Young. Simon Crisford had more than that to celebrate. For 31 years ago he had been with me and John Gosden when Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai must have the biggest race in the world and like a wally I replied along the lines that Dubai was not ready for it.
A lot has happened in 30 years. Sheikh Mohammed was there again yesterday. He and his country have been and are going through plenty. But defiance is a virtue. At Meydan yesterday it was a special one.