The Dubai Racing Carnival witnessed a dramatic shift in power dynamics as European contenders delivered a series of stunning upsets against local favorites at Meydan on Friday evening. International raiders from across Europe and the UK comprehensively outperformed expectations, claiming the majority of victories on the eight-race card sponsored by DP World.
The evening’s most significant upset occurred in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes, where UK-trained Fort George narrowly defeated Charlie Appleby’s heavily favored Arabian Light by a nose. The victory marked a dramatic end to Appleby’s seven-year winning streak in this prestigious event. Jockey Kieran Shoemark praised Fort George’s determination: ‘He showed a willing attitude in the closing stages. The second went three-quarters of a length up on us, but he battled hard.’
Danish racing enjoyed an exceptional evening with dual victories. Taifuu, trained by Soren Jensen and ridden by Oliver Wilson, captured the Mawj Stakes for three-year-old fillies with a impressive come-from-behind performance. Meanwhile, Bent Olsen’s Great Wish secured victory in the Listed Dubai Sprint under French jockey Mickael Barzalona, who noted the horse’s surprising early speed and strong finishing capability.
The Crisford training partnership achieved the night’s only double, with Title Role winning the Jumeirah Guineas Trial and Telemark prevailing in the DP World Logistics Handicap. Their success brings their seasonal tally to nine Carnival victories, demonstrating remarkable consistency throughout the 2025-2026 campaign.
Local trainers Doug Watson and Bhupat Seemar provided some domestic success stories. Seemar’s Tap Leader, a Russian Group 1 winner, made a triumphant UAE debut, with jockey Tadhg O’Shea highlighting the horse’s significant potential despite previous starting gate difficulties.
The evening’s results underscore the increasing internationalization of the Dubai Racing Carnival and suggest a highly competitive lead-up to World Cup night. The Carnival continues next Friday, February 6th, with expectations of further thrilling competition.