In 1996, the richest Thoroughbred equine horse racing occasion on the world was inaugurated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the renowned Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. Yearly ever since, steed auto racing enthusiasts anticipate the holding of the Dubai World Cup.

The Dubai World Cup is run through the Emirates Racing Authority, the internationally recognized governing body for horse racing in the UAE. This organization is chaired by no less than H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Presidential Affairs. Sheikh Mansour is himself an accomplished horse rider.

This Thoroughbred horse racing occasion was the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed is the proprietor of among the leading Thoroughbred reproducing and racing businesses worldwide - the Darley Stud and Godolphin Racing. The Dubai World Cup is the most respected and very awaited part of the Dubai World Cup Night of races, a series of 6 Thoroughbred horse races.

The event is a G1, or Classic, flat race run over a distance of 2,000 m, or 9.94 fur. It is held yearly around late March. Its inaugural victor (1996) was Stogie, named "the Racehorse of the Decade of the 1990s," that clocked 2:03.84. Cigar was owned by the late American Thoroughbred racehorse breeder Allen E. Paulson.

Here's a run-through of the prospering winners from 1997 to 2009. Only the horses' names, their owners, and their particular clocked time (minutes) are consisted of:

1997 - Singspiel (Ireland), had by Sheikh Mohammed; clocked 2:01.91.

1998 - Silver Charm (USA), had by Bob and Beverly Lewis; clocked 2:00.00.

1999 - Almutawakel (Great Britain), possessed by Hamdan Al Maktoum; clocked 2:00.65.

2000 - Dubai Millennium (Great Britain), had by Godolphin Racing; clocked 1:59.50.

2001 - Captain Steve (UNITED STATE), had by Michael E. Pegram; clocked 2:00.40.

2002 - Street Cry (Ireland), possessed by Godolphin Competing; clocked 2:01.18.

2003 - Moon Ballad (Ireland), had by Godolphin Racing; clocked 2:00.48.

2004 - Pleasantly Perfect (USA), had by Diamond A Racing Corp.; clocked 2:00.24.

2005 - Roses in May (UNITED STATE), possessed by Ken and Sarah Ramsey; clocked 2:02.17.

2006 - Electrocutionist (USA), owned by Godolphin Competing; clocked 2:01.32.

2007 - Invasor (Argentina), had by Shadwell Steady; clocked 1:59.97.

2008 - Curlin (USA), owned by Stonestreet/Midnight Cry Stables; clocked 2:00.15.

2009 - Well Armed (U.S.A), had by WinStar Ranch LLC; clocked 2:01.01.

Right here are several of the records established throughout the 14 years that the Dubai World Cup has been held until now:

- Fastest time: 1:59.50, by Dubai Centuries, in the 2000 race.

- Many wins by an owner: four, by Godolphin Racing, in the 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006 races.

- Most wins a jockey: four, by Jerry Bailey, in the 1996, 1997, 2001, and 2002 races.

- Most success by an instructor: five, by Saeed bin Suroor, in the 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006 races.

Remarkably, there's no record yet for the most variety of success by a horse, as none has up until now won the Dubai World Cup more than once.

The next hosting of the occasion, the 2010 Dubai World Cup, will open on January 28, 2010 at the newly-built 60,000-seat auto racing center Meydan Racecourse. With an astonishing purse of 10 million United States bucks (USD 10mn) used for this hosting, it is not surprising that the Dubai World Cup is billed the richest horse race."