Gulf News sponsor this Friday afternoon 's Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting at Meydan with the official feature, the UAE 1000 Guineas highlighting a card which also includes the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint.

The first Classic of the season, the 1600m Listed UAE 1000 Guineas has attracted a field of seven headed by Godolphin's Gamilati who comfortably won the 1400m trial for the race on her local debut. Trained by Mahmoud Al Zarooni, she proved she handles the all-weather surface on that occasion and she looks the one they all have to beat with Frankie Dettori again in the saddle.

The US$2 million Group Two UAE Derby, sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group received 136 horses entered, with a strong international contingent that will be seeking to break the stranglehold by UAE-based trainer Saeed bin Suroor and South Africa's Mike de Kock who are the only conditioners to win in 12-year history of the race.

Last year Saeed bin Suroor secured a record seventh win as the Godolphin-owned filly Khawlah bested a field of 14 to become the first filly to defeat the colts in the 1,900 metre contest for three-year-olds on the all-weather surface.

Musir could not have been more impressive when winning the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Group 2 Al Rashidiya, the 1800m turf feature at Meydan on Thursday evening, in front of a large crowd which included His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minster of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Jockey Christophe Soumillon oozed confidence throughout on the Mike de Kock-trained five-year-old son of Redoute’s Choice who was following up an equally impressive win in the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge Round I (1600m all-weather) on his previous start.

Dubai Duty Free sponsor Thursday's sixth meeting of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival, which is appropriate considering the featured Group 2 Al Rashidiya has twice been won by subsequent Dubai World Cup night Group 1 Dubai Duty Free winners – the first of which was Right Approach in 2004.

The second to win both 1800m turf features was Presvis, who registered the notable double for UK-based trainer Luca Cumani last year and seeks to become the first horse to win the Al Rashidiya twice.

Dear Members of the Media,

The Dubai Racing Club is now taking applications for the 2012 Dubai World Cup meeting.

Applications must be submitted online through the following address: https://secure.sportssystems.com/events2/?eventKey=ac793e22-502b-4493-acc4-bd4ff98b8a42

Alternatively, please visit www.dubairacingclub.com and click on our dedicated Dubai World Cup section, where the Media Accreditation form is located.

Racemeeting to be Sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, 6:30pm Post Time

The Group 2 Al Rashidiya will serve as the highlight of the sixth Dubai World Cup Carnival racemeeting this Thursday, and will be sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, a pillar partner of the Meydan Group.

Post time is 6:30 pm for the racing programme that will feature six races and serve as the sixth of the Dubai World Cup Carnival’s scheduled 16-race days.