The organisers agreed and, for the first time, on June 5, 1994, the Les Emirates Arabes Unis Prix Du Jockey Club race meeting was held. The motive behind the insistence of Sheikh Zayed, one of the leading owners and promoters of race horses, to include races for Arabian horses was straight and simple. To enhance the status of Purebred Arabian horses worldwide and, more importantly, to dispel the age-old myth that Arabian horses were not good for racing. The Rulers of the other Emirates also followed suit and the UAE, through the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, began to stage a series of race meetings for Purebred Arabian horses worldwide.

Race meetings with Purebred Arabian horses in action were held in famous race centres in France, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, UK, and many other parts of the world. Soon, racing fans globally began to sit up and take notice of the flat-racing ability of the Purebred Arabian horse.

When General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, conceived the Dubai World Cup event - a race meeting to include some of the best and varied races on one day - in June 1995, the Purebred Arabian horses just could not be ignored.

The first running of the Dubai World Cup in 1996, which took the flat-racing world by storm, included a race for Purebred Arabians. The Mashreq Bank race for Purebred Arabians over a distance of 2,000 metres opened another new chapter in the history of racing for this noble breed.

With most of the top owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys, members of the racing fraternity and fans - both at Nad Al Sheba and worldwide - watching the action live on TV, it was a major boost to the Purebred Arabian horses.

With prize money of Dh200,000 on offer, some of the top Arabian horses were in the fray with the Mashreq Bank race rounding off action on the inaugural Dubai World Cup day.

Vadeer, a grey horse owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, and trained by Ismaeel Mohammed, was ridden to a superb victory by John Carroll and, along with 10 other Purebred Arabian runners, made an impression in one of the biggest days of racing action around the globe.

While the Dubai World Cup soon went on to become the richest race in the world, and its accompanying races too gaining in importance and stature, so did the race for Purebred Arabians.

For the next three years, between 1997-99, the race was run as the Desert Arabian Classic.

The race was accorded a Group I status for the first time in 1999 - another historic moment - and since 2000, this race has been run as the Dubai Kahayla Classic.

With $250,000 on offer as total prize money, the Dubai Kahayla Classic remained the richest race for Purebred Arabian horses in the world until the President's Cup race in Abu Dhabi this year offered a prize money of Dh1 million.

Today, the Kahayla Classic is one of the foremost races for Purebred Arabian horses and the fact that it is staged along with the world's richest race, has given the breed a tremendous boost.


Purebred Arabian – unique features

Purebred Arabian horses have some distinctive features. The stature of a Purebred Arabian horse is generally smaller than the Thoroughbred; usually between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high.

A horse's height is measured to the highest point of the withers (shoulder). The height notation in hands high, or hh, is of ancient origin and a hand is accepted as being four inches - 10cm. The number of whole hands is properly followed by a period, then the remaining height in inches. Thus a horse measuring five feet and two inches at the withers would be designated '15.2 hh'.

Purebred Arabian horses generally have more arched necks than the Thoroughbred, attached higher to the chest. They have a more 'dished' (or concave) profile than Thoroughbreds, with large eyes set wide apart, a prominent forehead and large jowls and nostrils. Their shoulders are sloping and lean in comparison to that of the Thoroughbred.

The Purebred Arabian's tail is attached high to the hindquarters. Another distinctive feature is the Purebred Arabian horse carries its tail high while moving. The grey colour is predominant among Purebred Arabians.

A much appreciated characteristic of the horse is its temperament. The Purebred Arabian is known for its gentle, kind temperament, at the same time, it is very determined when it comes to physical endurance and racing.


 Past winners

A list of past winners since 1996, in Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1)for Purebred Arabian horses:

• 1996 - Vadeer
Trainer: Ismael Mohammed
Jockey: John Carroll
Owner: Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

• 1997 - Alanudd
Trainer: L. Yancey Carter Jr.
Jockey: Brett Doyle
Owner: President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

• 1998 - Alanudd
Trainer: L. Yancey Carter Jr.
Jockey: Peter Brette
Owner: President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

• 1999 - Alanudd
Trainer: L. Yancey Carter Jr.
Jockey: Peter Brette
Owner: President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

• 2000 - Nivour De Cardonne
Trainer: Kieran McLaughlin
Jockey: John Carroll
Owner: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

• 2001 - Magic De Piboul
Trainer: Jean-Pierre Totain
Jockey: Olivier Peslier
Owner: His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

• 2002 - Nez D'or
Trainer: Julian Smart
Jockey: Wayne Smith
Owner: President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

• 2003 - Bopp Moon
Trainer: Kieran McLaughlin
Jockey: Richard Hills
Owner: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum