(Edited press release)
Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, will sponsor the group I Dewhurst Stakes, it was announced Aug. 25. The race will be run Oct. 16 at Newmarket in England.
“The Dewhurst Stakes is traditionally the single most significant 2-year-old race in Europe and is therefore a unique opportunity to showcase Dubai’s passion for horse racing,” said John Ferguson, the bloodstock adviser to Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed.
In addition to his role as an equine advisor, Ferguson serves as vice chairman of Dubai-based Falcon and Associates, which is supporting Dubai’s sponsorship of the race. Falcon and Associates will be using the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes as a platform to launch a promotional campaign that will market Dubai’s highlights and advantages to audiences around the world.
“Dubai has already proven itself as a land of opportunity for horse racing, and we are very pleased to welcome Dubai as our sponsor for the Dewhurst Stakes,” said Stephen Wallis, managing director of Newmarket Racecourses. “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has had a long and successful relationship with Newmarket Racecourses and we’re delighted that he, and Dubai, have decided to lend their support to this highly significant and world class race.”
The will be a special prize awarded to the “Best Dressed Racegoer.” The prize will offer two people the chance to visit Dubai during the Dubai International Racing Carnival in February 2011, with flights and accommodations provided.