Dubai Sheema Classic Betting Guide

The Dubai Sheema Classic is one of the most lucrative races on the turf on the racing calendar. Connections will be hoping to get their hands on a share of the $6 million purse, and you can learn more about the iconic Group 1 in this betting guide.

Dubai Sheema Classic Event Details


Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates plays host to the Dubai Sheema Classic. The race is a Group 1 on the turf, and the field race over a distance of 1 ½ miles. The age of the horses that are able to enter is determined by where they are traveling from.


Horses from the Northern Hemisphere need to be four, while Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds can enter. The purse for the Group 1 is $6 million, and it forms an integral part of the Dubai World Cup Night., which takes place in March.

Dubai Sheema Classic Preview


The Dubai Sheema Classic doesn’t take place until March 2022, which means entries for the iconic Group 1 will not be made until the end of February. However, we can identify trends of the potential winner of the race by looking at winners over the past couple of years.


  • Mishriff (2021)

  • Old Persian (2019)

  • Hawkbill (2018)

  • Jack Hobbs (2017)

  • Postponed (2016)


Mishriff was the most recent winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic, as the four-year-old won the race in March 2021. John & Thady Gosden train this legendary horse, who has won six from ten under rules. He has achieved victories across the world throughout his career, as he won races in the United Kingdom and France before heading to the UAE.


Before lining up for the Dubai Sheema Classic, he won the Saudi Cup at Riyadh. That victory was achieved by one length from Charlatan. Mishriff needed to be at his very best in the Dubai Sheema Classic, as he just about held off the challenge from Chrono Genesis to win by a neck.


The most recent renewal before 2021 came in 2019, as Old Persian won by a length and a half for trainer Charlie Appleby. It was a famous occasion for jockey William Buick, as it was the third straight success that he had achieved in the race. It was also a second straight victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic for Appleby, while Godolphin also celebrated the third victory in a row.


Like Mishriff, Old Persian also achieved a victory in the UAE before lining up in the Dubai Sheema Classic. However, his victory came in the G2 Dubai City of Gold just two weeks before the Group 1 at Meydan. After winning the Dubai Sheema Classic, Old Persian went on to win the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, which was his fifth and final graded victory of his career.


Hawkbill was the first victory in this race for trainer Charlie Appleby in 2018. Hawkbill was the third straight five-year-old to win the race at the time. Like the previous two horses that we have mentioned, Hawkbill also had a prep run in the UAE before the Dubai Sheema Classic. His prep run also saw him win the G2 Dubai City of Gold. That victory was his fifth success in graded company and came after victories in the G1 Coral-Eclipse and G2 Princess Of Wales’s Arqana Racing Club Stakes.

Dubai Sheema Classic Event Information


The Dubai Sheema Classic has been on the flat calendar since being introduced in 1998. The first renewal of the famous race was won by Frankie Dettori on board Stoneaway. However, it finally gained Grade 1 status in 2002. The race was previously called the Dubai Turf Classic. However, it was renamed two years after the first race in 1998.


Meanwhile, the home of the Dubai Sheema Classic has also changed throughout its history. It now takes place at Meydan Racecourse, but between 1998 and 2010, it took place at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. William Buick is the most successful jockey in the history of the Group 1, as he has won on four occasions. John Gosden leads the trainers, as he has recorded three victories. Meanwhile, Godolphin are the most successful owners, as they have recorded six wins in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Dubai Sheema Classic Betting Information


The Dubai Sheema Classic is one of the most competitive turf races of the season. Bets can be made on the illustrious race online, and some of the markets that you can expect to find can be found below.


  • Win: The most popular betting market sees gamblers able to place a wager on a selection that will win the Dubai Sheema Classic.

  • Place: The Dubai Sheema Classic is a closely fought contest. Place bets can be made on selections to finish in the first two.

  • Exacta: Gamblers can place a wager on the first two to finish the race. However, selections must be precise to get returns on this market.