World Racing Weekly: Museum Mile, Ombudsman & Ezum

Japan’s Reduced Dubai World Cup Team Is Hong Kong’s Gain

Dubai’s loss really is looking like it could be Hong Kong’s gain. With the US/Israel-Iran conflict still disrupting the Middle East, the number of horses flying to Dubai from Japan had reduced to three when an unliveried plane left Kansai airport for the emirate on Wednesday. 

And that trio – Nettaiya Rai was a last-minute withdrawal, his owner citing the conflict – flew just days after three Japanese horses returned from Dubai, having ejected from their planned assignments at the Dubai World Cup fixture a week Saturday.

Meanwhile, this week the Hong Kong Jockey Club released the entries for its three Group 1 features at Sha Tin on April 26 and among them is Japan’s top line star Museum Mile, rerouted from the Dubai Turf.

The UAE reopened its airspace on Tuesday, but major airlines have flight suspensions in place and there are doubts about international runners still making the journey, Aiden O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team included. 

Even the post-race pop act has been cancelled. A Dubai Racing Club statement said Wednesday: “Due to current travel disruptions in the region, Jason Derulo will unfortunately be unable to perform at the Dubai World Cup.”

But the G1 Dubai World Cup itself seems destined to go ahead. The same statement said: “We look forward to welcoming guests to Meydan Racecourse for an unforgettable evening on the 30th anniversary of this event.” 

The event will have a reduced international contingent, but the big draw is the world’s top dirt horse, Japan’s Forever Young, taking on last year’s winner, the US-trained and Qatari-owned Hit Show, who has landed in Dubai. Officials in Dubai also have hope that the world’s best on turf, Calandagan, will ship there from France as planned to contest the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic after he worked at Saint-Cloud last Sunday, while Dubai’s flagship racing team Godolphin has called up the top-class Ombudsman and Rebel’s Romance.

Calandagan also has a QEII Cup entry, but the HKJC long list for its international events invariably contains horses that are unlikely to participate and the gelding seems to fall into that category should he go to Dubai.

Life in the Gulf states has been continuing with a degree of normality against underlying unease amid what has become daily attacks. Dubai Racing Club has continued to hold race meetings throughout the conflict, which started on February 28 when a wave of retaliatory Iranian drones and missiles was shot down by the UAE’s Patriot defence system, even as the Super Saturday fixture was ongoing at Meydan where Dubai’s ruler and Godolphin racing’s founder Sheikh Mohammed was present. 

Neighbouring Qatar and Bahrain suspended racing until both resumed this past weekend. But on Friday, Bahrain had to pause for about half an hour mid-card when the alarm sounded for another Iranian assault, while over in Dubai, racing at Meydan was also stalled early in the card and participants ushered inside when drones and missiles were fired at the emirate.

Dubai sources reported that a loud bang was heard Tuesday, and walls and windows shook as the defence system worked to intercept the incoming threats.

Latest figures published by Al Jazeera on Wednesday showed that eight people had been killed and 157 injured in the UAE since the conflict began, two dead and ‘dozens injured’ in Bahrain, 16 injured but no fatalities in Qatar and two dead and 12 injured in Saudi Arabia, while data from Iran put the death toll there at 1,444 with 18,551 injured. 

Among the three Japanese horses that flew to Dubai is Godolphin’s Pyromancer, headed for the UAE Derby. 

But concerns among Japanese owners and trainers about the conflict has meant that the G1 Arima Kinen winner Museum Mile now looks set to contest the G1 QEII Cup in Hong Kong, which has a big Japanese entry of 26 horses, including one-time Dubai candidate Masquerade Ball, as well as Danon Decile whose first choice is the G1 Osaka Hai after pulling out of Dubai. 

Among the 11 Japanese horses in the G1 Champions Mile is Luxor Cafe, an intended Dubai World Cup runner until he flew back to Japan this week. Meanwhile, Gaia Force and Lugal, who are both in the Champions Day entries, were the two Ritto-based horses accompanying Pyromancer to Dubai. 

Forever Young is the headline act, but Japan’s supporting act has been reduced to a handful. The hope now is for a night of safe racing and a return home for all.   

This Week In Horse Racing History

One of racing’s all-time great mares, Sceptre, was beaten first-up for the year on March 18, 1902. In an unconventional classic prep, the filly carried 91lb in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster, but poorly ridden by an apprentice, she was beaten a head by the year older St Maclou. Sceptre went on to win the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Oaks, St Leger, St James’s Palace Stakes and Nassau Stakes that year; two days before her Oaks win she was also fourth in the Derby, just 10 days after suffering a bruised foot. 

Hall of Fame legend Bill Shoemaker had his first race ride at Golden Gate Fields, California on March 19, 1949, finishing fifth of eight on a horse named Waxahachie.

The great Phar Lap won his final race and only start in North America, the Agua Caliente Handicap at Agua Caliente, Mexico, on March 20, 1932. The following month the Australian legend was dead in mysterious circumstances. 

Thirty-seven years later on March 20, 1969, Diane Crump rode her first winner at Gulfstream Park, Florida, weeks after she became the first woman to ride in a North American parimutuel race. 

Reads Of The Week

Adam Pengilly tells the story of trainer Philip Stokes, his upbringing in Australia’s remote heart, looking after Japanese legend Taiki Shuttle, learning from Bill Mott and more in a must-read feature about the man shooting for Golden Slipper glory this weekend.

Adam Pengilly

Marree To The Million-Dollar Moment: Phillip Stokes And A Lifetime With Horses

It’s the Hong Kong Derby this weekend and with the Hong Kong Jockey Club having just announced new incentives for owners purchasing higher class PPs (tried imports), here’s a feature from this time last year, when John Moore and Caspar Fownes gave their thoughts at the time about the quality and make-up of Hong Kong Derby fields.

David Morgan

"You Have To Go Out Of Your Way To Get Quality": Where Are The High-Profile Hong Kong Imports?

In this week’s Idol Thoughts column Shane Dye shares fascinating insights about the art of front-running, the importance of understanding pace and track bias and what Derek Leung must not do on the expected Hong Kong Derby frontrunner Numbers.  

Shane Dye

Numbers In The Frame: The Subtle Art Of Riding A Frontrunner

Hong Kong Derby week is also a reminder that two Derbies with close links in the region are no more, the Macau Derby and the Singapore Derby. In this feature article, Michael Cox gives his on-the-ground perspective of the last Derby at Kranji before the Singapore Turf Club closed its doors and stopped racing.

Michael Cox

The Final Singapore Derby And The Tragedy Of Kranji's Unfulfilled Promise

Racing Photo Of The Week

Date
14 March, 2026

Photographer
Shadai Farm

Location
Shadai Farm in Hokkaido, Japan

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Global Blackbook

Ezum posted a fast time and put distance on his rivals when breaking his maiden like a classy horse at Colonial Downs on March 14. Shadwell’s US$485,000 Keeneland November buy had previously shown debut pace in a three-year-old maiden over 1400m at Gulfstream Park on February 7, but faded to finish ninth of 10.

That experience clearly benefited Ezum who improved plenty second-up. The Brad Cox-trained colt again showed the ability to race on-pace but this time extended away from his rivals under Flavien Prat to win by 19-and-a-half lengths in a time of 1:34.23 for the dirt mile.

With such smart improvement from debut to second start, and being a half-brother to triple Group 1 winner Beach Patrol, Ezum can be expected to continue to progress into the higher grades. 

👀 19馬身半差……ド派手な圧勝で初勝利！

🇺🇸 コロニアルダウンズ競馬場の3歳未勝利戦。シャドウェルの青い勝負服、エズムが後続をどんどん突き放し、2戦目で初勝利（初戦は10頭立ての9着）。

半兄は種牡馬のビーチパトロール。良血牡馬が叩き一変で覚醒？#競馬 #海外競馬pic.twitter.com/tj4FPiClU3

— Idol Horse (@idolhorsedotcom) March 14, 2026

World Horse Racing Calendar: What’s Coming Up

Golden Slipper Day
Rosehill, Australia, March 21

Chayan’s win in the G2 Reisling Stakes pushed the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained filly to the top of the market for the 70th running of the G1 Golden Slipper, Australia’s biggest two-year-old race. She is set to face trainer Bjorn Baker’s unbeaten Paradoxium who won the G2 Todman Stakes at Randwick. Baker also has Warwoven, fourth in the G2 Skyline Stakes last time after winning his first two starts. Another filly with a big chance is the Clinton McDonald-trained Streisand, winner of the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes last time. The day’s action includes five other Group 1 contests, the Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas, George Ryder Stakes, and The Galaxy. 

Dubai World Cup Day
Meydan, Dubai, March 28

Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and two-time Saudi Cup hero Forever Young is the main draw at the G1 Dubai World Cup, which seems set to go ahead despite war in the region. The Yoshito Yahagi-trained five-year-old was a gritty third in the race last year behind Hit Show who has flown into Dubai this week. The card also features  the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, G1 Dubai Turf and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, which seems set to feature the world’s best racehorse of last year, Calandagan.

Australian Cup Day
Flemington, Australia, March 28

Birdman could start favourite for the G1 Australian Cup after winning his last two starts, the G2 Blamey Stakes and the G2 Peter Young Stakes. Others in the reckoning are recent two-time G1 All-Star Mile winner Tom Kitten and the tearaway mare Pride Of Jenni. The 2000m race has been won by such greats as Makybe Diva, Lonhro, Bonecrusher and Dulcify.

Tancred Stakes Day
Rosehill, Australia, March 28

The G1 Tancred Stakes is the highlight on a card that also features the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes, a key lead-in to the Oaks, as well as the G2 Tulloch Stakes, which attracts attention from Hong Kong buyers looking for a good PP. The Tancred is set to feature last year’s winner, the British raider Dubai Honour who also won the G1 Ranvet Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2023. The former Irish-trained Vauban could challenge him off the back of a recent Group 3 win, while other potential runners are Sir Delius and Aeliana. ∎

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