Dubai, 31 March 2019: During the 24th World Cup, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, published a special poem commemorating the Dubai World Cup.

Posting on his Instagram account, he wrote: "My passion for horses goes back a long way / They are my life, my joy from the very first day".

The poem goes like this,

In Al Wasl* we held a joyous gathering
A land towards which people came hastening
And so Al Wasl, is a name from the past
The present Dubai, where aspirations last

Connecting people with love and generosity
Embracing visitors as they arrived eagerly
From around the world, the guests flew in
Bound by its spell, they found a great haven

Honored is the horse on this land and victorious
Whence every horse aspires to be glorious
A joyous celebration, year after year
Where the worlds best meet, from far and near

This World Cup is quite a unique one indeed
Everyone has heard of its success and great steeds
Every year we win and earn our trophy
For when horse owners meet, indeed it is victory

Winning is neither bound by a cup, nor complete
Though my horse is a winner, with the wind it competes
The presence of our guests is an absolute win
A win that fills me with peace from within

It brings me a joy that lingers, an utmost pleasure
A happiness against which none else can measure
My passion for horses goes back a long way
They are my life, my joy from the very first day

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
* The word Al Wasl means connection or to connect in the Arabic language. It is also what the city of Dubai was named in the past. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has used it as a metaphor in this poem to illustrate how the Dubai World Cup beautifully connects people from all around the world.