March 12, 2014, Chengdu, China ~Inaugural Chengdu Dubai International Cup Feature & Co-Feature Presented by Longines
The inaugural staging of the Chengdu Dubai International Cup race day, a partnership between the Meydan Group and the Chengdu Municipal Government is scheduled for Sunday April 6, 2014.
The groundbreaking race meeting, which will be held at the Jinma Racecourse in the Garden City of Chengdu in Wenjiang District will consist of five turf races, highlighted by the 2200m Chengdu Dubai International Cup and the Wenjiang Meydan Classic over 1600m, both presented by Longines.
Three support races will also make up the card, including the Meydan Mile, the 1400m Guangsha Handicap and the 1200m Wenjiang Sprint.
The race meeting is organised by the Meydan Group, under the Emirates Racing Authority rules of racing (a signatory to the International Federation of Horseracing Authority), in partnership with the Chengdu Municipal Government, the Chengdu Sports Bureau, the Wenjiang District Government and China Gunagsha Group.
Race fields will consist of horses transported from the UAE to Chengdu. They will then be shipped back home to the UAE making this the first race meeting held on mainland China to feature international horses undergoing both import and export quarantine procedures.
The horses will be prepared by Dubai Racing Club trainers and ridden by the jockeys who take part in the UAE race season, including the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Malih Al Basti, Meydan Group Board Member and Chairman Meydan Racing Committee said: “This is an exciting strategic partnership that we have entered into to assist the Chinese authorities in developing the sport of Thoroughbred racing. With this groundbreaking meeting we have opened up channels of cooperation that will continue to grow between the UAE and China.
“Meydan Racecourse, the Dubai World Cup Carnival and the Dubai World Cup are seen as pinnacles of racing excellence around the world, and we hope to share the strong equine culture that underpins the UAE’s passion for this sport with the people of Chengdu through this event.”
H.E. Chao Xie, Wenjiang District Party Committee Secretary said: “This is a landmark event for the city of Chengdu and will act as a major bridge for the continuing good relations between the District of Wenjiang, the city of Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates.”
Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, said Longines was proud to be a representative of this passion for equestrian sports.
Situated in the South West of China, Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province, a city of historical and cultural significance. As such it is attractive to tourists and acts as a centre for politics, culture, science, education, commerce, finance, military and international trade. An accessible transportation and communications hub, Chengdu also possesses the largest airport in the region. Dubbed the “Heavenly Land of Plenty”, it is one of the largest cities on mainland China.
Jinma Racecourse is the only racecourse in the West of China that has successfully hosted the China Equestrian Festival for the last three years.
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