UAE modifies racing schedule for 2011-12

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The United Arab Emirates will add three days to the thoroughbred racing calendar for the 2011-12 season and slightly modify the schedule.

The calendar was announced Monday by Sheik Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, chairman of the Emirates Racing Authority.

Total racing days go from 50 to 53, with two additional fixtures at Sharjah and one at Meydan. The season will open at Jebel Ali Nov. 4 with 11 racing days through March 23. The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club will open Nov. 6 and race 15 dates through March 18. Sharjah will kick off racing Nov. 26 and run six racing dates through Feb. 18.

Meydan, a showplace for world-class racing, will open its third season Nov. 10 with racing there leading up to the $26.25 million Dubai World Cup card on the night of March 31.

The Dubai International Racing Carnival will mark its ninth season with a new name -- the Dubai World Cup Carnival -- and with the previous "Super Thursday" renamed "Super Saturday" and run on the evening of March 10. The "Super" event is a significant race date in its own right and the final local prep for the World Cup races.

As before, the eight-race card on World Cup night opens with the Dubai Kahayla Classic for purebred Arabians. The other races, all for thoroughbreds, will culminate in the 17th running of the Dubai World Cup for a $10 million purse.