Free tips for every race on Dubai World Cup Night 2026 at Meydan on Saturday.
Five Group One races and two Group Twos will take place on Dubai World Cup Night 2026, with a prize pot of over $30m on offer across the eight feature races. Here are my through-the-card tips for Meydan on Saturday.
Dubai World Cup Night 2026 Schedule
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 12:20pm | Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Emaar (Group 2) 1m |
| 12:55pm | Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors (Group 2) 2m |
| 1:30pm | UAE Derby Sponsored By Jumeirah (Group 2) 1m1½f |
| 2:20pm | Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (Group 1) 6f |
| 2:55pm | Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Nakheel (Group 1) 6f |
| 3:35pm | Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World (Group 1) 1m1f |
| 4:10pm | Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) 1m4f |
| 4:45pm | Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (Group 1) 1m2f |
Meydan Tips - Saturday 28th March
12:20pm Meydan - Godolphin Mile Tips
Bhupat Seemar has enjoyed a strong Dubai World Cup Carnival, and he'll be hoping to see either Commissioner King or Mendelssohn Bay hand him the perfect start to the final night. I'm most interested in BANISHING (9/1), as David Jacobson's six-year-old drops back down to a mile.
Banishing didn't impress over nine furlongs in either the Pegasus World Cup or the Saudi Cup. His two appearances in the winter came over six furlongs. In fact, in 16 appearances for Jacobson, Banishing has only run over a mile three times.
Those three runs have resulted in two narrow defeats and a win over Saudi Crown in the Group Three Oaklawn Mile. Banishing was only beaten a neck by leading colt Mindframe in the Group One Churchill Downs Stakes last spring, and has clocked RPRs of around 120 on five occasions. Jacobson's raider is more than good enough to win at Group Two level, and Silvestre De Sousa could turn out to be an excellent jockey booking.
12:55pm Meydan - Dubai Gold Cup Tips
Al Riffa dominates this betting heat, but I'd rather take an each-way punt on EPIC POET (16/1) at an each-way price. David O'Meara's seven-year-old went close a number of times during the 2025 Carnival and recorded a third-place finish in this race behind Dubai Future.
Since returning to the Middle East, Danny Tudhope's mount has finished a close second to Sunway in the Al Khalil Trophy, and stayed on from a horrible position at the rear to place fifth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap at in Saudi Arabia. Epic Poet was backed into favouritism ahead of that handicap, so someone must think he's in good form. He's worth chancing at a lengthy price.
1:30pm Meydan - UAE Derby Tips
The last four renewals of the UAE Derby have gone to Japanese raiders, and PYROMANCER (5/2) looks a good bet to make it five in a row.
Keiji Yoshimura's colt ran out an impressive winner on his two-year-old debut at Kyoto, before comfortably beating another of today's rivals, Wonder Dean in an Allowance race. Pyromancer looked a little one-paced back over a mile in the Nisai Yushun in December, but still managed to extend his unbeaten run and land that local Group One.
This step back up to a mile-and-a-quarter is sure to suit, and James Doyle has picked up the ride on Yoshimura's market leader.
2:20pm Meydan - Al Quoz Sprint Tips
Again, I've got no real desire to touch Lazzat at the head of the market. Instead, I'll take a punt on GREAT WISH (25/1) for Danish trainer, Bent Olsen.
Great Wish was completely friendless in the betting going into the Listed Dubai Sprint in January, but proceeded to make all under Mickael Barzalona and claim a shock victory. Olsen's sprinter then did best of those drawn away from the inside rail in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, powering home alone down the centre of the track to finish a good fourth.
The high side of the track looks like the place to be on Saturday, and Silvestre De Sousa will be tasked with riding this capable front-runner. Great Wish is in the sort of form that might be good enough to challenge.
2:55pm Meydan - Golden Shaheen Tips
I backed DARK SAFFRON (33/1) when he made all as a 40/1 outsider in this race 12 months ago. Connor Beasley's mount managed to get to the front from a wide draw in stall 11, and held firm to deny the more fancied sprinters in the closing stages.
Ahmed bin Harmash's star made a winning return to action in a Conditions Race in November, but lost his way a bit in December and January. Dark Saffron returned to form with a fine effort behind El Nasseeb on his most recent start in the Mahab Al Shimaal, and I wouldn't be shocked to see Dark Saffron put up a bold defence of his Golden Shaheen crown.
3:35pm Meydan - Dubai Turf Tips
If Ombudsman runs up to anything close to his rating, he'll win this year's Dubai Turf comfortably. I'm going to take a chance on MAKE ME KING (33/1), who appeals most as an each-way proposition.
Hamad Al Jehani's six-year-old has shown flashes of top-level form throughout his career. Make Me King slammed future QEII winner Cicero's Gift when the two met at Pontefract last season, and steps into Group One company on the back of an excellent Listed win over Holloway Boy in Doha.
Make Me King has always shaped like an extended trip would suit, and James Doyle has a good opportunity to sit on what could be a fairly sedate early pace from his low draw in stall four. If this turns into a sprint to the finishing line, Make Me King could be well-positioned to strike.
4:10pm Meydan - Sheema Classic Tips
I've gone against all of the more fancied runners so far, but there seems to be little to be gained from taking CALANDAGAN (2/5) on here.
I accused Francis Graffard's star of shying away from a battle when he was beaten in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. Calandagan has since proved me wrong with four successive Grade One wins, including an emphatic win over Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes and a brave, battling performance to land the Japan Cup.
Mickael Barzalona gave the favourite a rubbish ride at the rear when he finished second to Danon Decile in this race 12 months ago. No one in this year's field seems capable of winning this from the front, and with just six runners in the field, there's no scope for an each-way punt.
4:45pm Meydan - Dubai World Cup Tips
Read our full guide to the 2026 Dubai World Cup to find out who we've backed in Saturday's feature at Meydan.
Visit our Dubai World Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Saturday's races from Dubai via a mobile or tablet.