The history of the proud tradition of horse racing can be traced back to the ancient civilisations of the Greeks and Egyptians while additional evidence also indicates that horse racing was practiced in Babylon and Syria as well. As time progressed, this beloved sport was considered an industrious affair during the Roman Empire but its title, the “Sport of the Kings” can be traced directly to the British royalty’s passion for the sport.

While the three main styles of this sport are flat racing, steeple chasing and harness racing, it is also an industrious affair which prompts fan to place bets and gamble thereby making it a multi-billion dollar industry. With such a lot of economic and monetary importance attached to this sport, which race attracts the best horses, riders and their trainers with the highest monetary prize for the winner, is a natural query. The answer is the Dubai World Cup, an annually conducted Thoroughbred horse race whose prize is a stunning six million US dollars!

The Dubai World Cup was initially held in 1996 under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the leader of Dubai, and has been carried on annually as a tradition at the Meydan Racecourse. The first ever recipient of the cup was the thoroughbred by the name of Cigar, owned by Allen E. Paulson. At present, this event forms a component of the Dubai World Cup Night races with the grand prize clocking in at an amazing 10 million US dollars.

This year’s event will be held on the 27th of March and if you wish to attend, ensure that you obtain your tickets to the event as soon as possible and select a Luxury Hotels and Resorts to stay at during your stay. Choosing and pre-booking the Luxury Hotel Packages will ensure a smooth visit to the Emirate in March for hotel accommodation tends to be difficult to come by during this busy time. Opting to stay at the architecturally iconic Raffles Dubai, UAE where Asian influences complement the tasteful Egyptian architecture will allow you quick access to the races and upon return to the hotel, the ultimate relaxing experience.