Five horse-race fixtures in Al Ain, UAE "will take the number of race meetings in the UAE to 57 this season," according to Geoffrey Riddle of the THE NATIONAL. Al Ain "will become the fifth racecourse in the UAE when the Al Nakheel Equestrian Club hosts its first race day at the new facility" on Nov. 30. The new racecourse "provides the only additional meetings this season." The dates for the upcoming UAE racing season were ratified by Emirates Racing Authority Chair and UAE Deputy PM Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed. Jebel Ali "has 11 fixtures and will bring up the curtain on the UAE season" on Nov. 1 and "will be followed by one of Sharjah's six meetings the next day." The first of Meydan Racecourse's 20 meetings will take place on Nov. 7, while the Dubai World Cup Carnival starts at Meydan on Jan. 9. Super Saturday "will be staged at the UAE's flagship track on March 8, and the Carnival culminates with the Dubai World Cup night on March 29." Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club gets underway on Nov. 10 and has 15 fixtures, "second only to Meydan" (THE NATIONAL, 8/28).
