Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 2

The Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 2, is a horse race run over a distance of 1,900 metres (1 mile, one and a half furlongs) on dirt in February at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. It is the second of three races in the Al Maktoum Challenge series which serve as trial races for the Dubai World Cup.

Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 2
Group Two race
LocationMeydan Racecourse
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Inaugurated1994
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
SponsorLongines Record (since 2022)
Race information
Distance1,900 metres
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
PurseUS$350,000

It was first run in 1994 on dirt at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. It was transferred to Meydan in 2010 where it was run on the synthetic Tapeta Footings surface. In 2015 the synthetic surface at Meydan was replaced by a dirt track.[1]

The race was originally run over 2,000 metres and was run over 2,400 metres in 1996 before the distance was reduced to 1,800 metres in 1997. The current distance was established when the race moved to Meydan in 2010.

The race began as an ungraded stakes race before attaining Listed status in 1996. The race was elevated to Group 3 level in 2002 and became a Group 2 event in 2012.

Records

Record time:

  • 1:46.92 - Altibr (1999) (1800 metres)
  • 1:55.67 - Prince Bishop (2014) (1900 metres)

Most successful horse (2 wins):

  • Best of the Bests – 2001, 2002
  • Jack Sullivan – 2005, 2006

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 12 - Saeed bin Suroor (1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020)

Most wins by an owner:

  • 10 - Godolphin Racing (1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020)

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Time
1994 Cezanne 5 Gary Hind Hilal Ibrahim Sheikh Mohammed 2:05.87
1995 Halling 4 John Carroll Hilal Ibrahim Godolphin 2:04.29
1996 Larrocha 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum 2:30.75
1997 Tropicool 4 Brett Doyle Dhruba Selvaratnam Ahmed Al Maktoum 1:50.34
1998 Wathik 8 Paul Eddery Paddy Rudkin Saeed Al Ghandi 1:52.11
1999 Altibr 4 Richard Hills Saeed bin Suroor Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:46.92
2000 Get Away With It[a] 7 Peter Brette Michael Stoute Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:48.20
2001 Best of the Bests 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:47.85
2002 Best of the Bests 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:48.63
2003 Moon Ballad 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:47.98
2004 Victory Moon 4 Weichong Marwing Mike de Kock Mad Syndicate 1:49.51
2005 Jack Sullivan 5 Darryll Holland Gerard Butler International Carnival Partnership 1:50.55
2006 Jack Sullivan 6 Eddie Ahern Gerard Butler International Carnival Partnership 1:52.55
2007 Kandidate 5 Ryan Moore Clive Brittain A J Richards 1:49.40
2008 Lucky Find 4 Kevin Shea Mike de Kock Ahmed bin Moh'd bin Khalifa Al Maktoum 1:49:06
2009 My Indy 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:50.53
2010 Allybar 4 Ahmed Atjebi Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:57.05
2011 Bold Silvano 4 Christophe Soumillon Mike de Kock Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum 1:57.71
2012 Mendip 5 Kieren Fallon Saeed bin Suroor Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum 1:56.42
2013 Hunter's Light 5 Silvestre de Sousa Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:58.19
2014 Prince Bishop 7 Kieren Fallon Saeed bin Suroor Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum 1:55.67
2015 Frankyfourfingers 5 Mickael Barzalona Salem bin Ghadayer Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum 1:58.24
2016 Frosted 4 William Buick Kiaran McLaughlin Godolphin 1:56.67
2017 Furia Cruzada 5 Antonio Fresu Erwan Charpy Fernando Fantini 1:58.85
2018 Thunder Snow 4 Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:57.89
2019 North America 7 Richard Mullen Satish Seemar Ramzan Kadyrov 1:58.65
2020 Benbatl 6 Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:56.80
2021 Salute The Soldier 6 Adrie de Vries Fawzi Abdulla Nass Victorious 1:57.37
2022 Hot Rod Charlie 4 William Buick Doug O'Neill Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing & William Strauss 1:57.41
2023 Algiers 6 James Doyle Simon & Ed Crisford Hamdan Sultan Ali Al Sabousi 1:56.08

a Worldly Manner finished first in 2000 but was disqualified after failing a post-race drug test.

See also

References
  1. Peter Scargill (14 May 2014). "Dirt to replace Tapeta at Meydan for next season". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014.
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