DUBAI: Two-time Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winner Elina Svitolina will bid for an unprecedented third straight title when play gets underway next month. As she moves into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, Svitolina also has her eye on making history in Dubai. No woman player at the tournament has ever claimed three consecutive crowns. Justine Henin, who at …

DUBAI: British youngster Alex Connor will race with British F4 Team Champions for the 2019 season. 14-year-old Alex, will be one of the youngest drivers in British F4 history when he makes his debut for the Arden team this season. Alex is a UAE born, racing driver, who started racing in November 2013 in the Sodi World Series (SWS) Junior …

DUBAI: Racing at Meydan on Saturday was highlighted by a night of thrilling finishes, including in the evening’s two turf races—one over the sprint distance of 1400m and the other over the testing 2400m. In the former, Race 5 (Al Naboodah Construction Group Handicap), Rocket Power was able to record a fourth consecutive victory this season, having won his three previous outings …

DUBAI: While other city races may lay claim to be “Marathon Majors”, race results continue to show the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon as being the world’s ultimate long distance event for elite athletes, according to figures released by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations). Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge may certainly have set the world alight with a new world record …

DUBAI: Thursday’s third evening of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan was highlighted by the $250,000 Cape Verdi sponsored by Azizi Developments, a 1600m turf feature restricted to fillies and mares, won in style by Poetic Charm. The winner was a seventh in the race for Godolphin, fourth in consecutive years and second for trainer Charlie Appleby, whose Certify …

DUBAI: Thursday’s six-race third meeting of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival is highlighted by the first of the Carnival’s two fillies and mares’ features, the Group 2 $250,000 Cape Verdi (race 4), which is ably supported by five valuable handicaps—three are on turf and two on dirt. The evening, which is sponsored by Azizi Developments, also features the earliest …

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club stage their first meeting of 2019 on Sunday, a six-race card highlighted by the only Thoroughbred contest, a 2400m handicap that has attracted the maximum allowed field of 14. The weights are headed by local debutant Tribal Conquest. Owned and trained by Ismail Mohammed, whose horses are currently in very good form, the 5-year-old gelded son …

DUBAI: Thursday’s second evening of the 2109 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan was highlighted by a quality renewal of the $350,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 sponsored by Yahsat, a Group 2 contested over 1600m that has served as a prep for both the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and $1.5 million Godolphin Mile (G2). Additionally, two exciting …

DUBAI: Jebel Ali stage their first meeting of 2019 on Friday afternoon, a seven-race card officially highlighted by a 1000m conditions race that is restricted to 3-year-olds. Thirteen have declared, of whom only the penalised Eyelool has won. Trained on the Jebel Ali track for racecourse patron His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum by Nicholas Bachalard, the gelded …

Sports Desk DUBAI: Already expected to be an exceptionally evening, thanks to a salty renewal of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (G2), the second night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival got another serious boost this week when trainer Saeed bin Suroor entered Group 1 winner Royal Marine in the $100,000 UAE 2000 Guineas Trial. Highly regarded would be an understatement …