The Al Maktoum Mile, is a horse race run over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile) in late December on dirt at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Previously known as the Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 1 it was the first of three races in the Al Maktoum Challenge series which serve as trial races for the Dubai World Cup.
It was first run in 1994 on dirt at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. It was transferred to Meydan in 2010 where it was run on the synthetic Tapeta Footings surface. In 2015 the synthetic surface at Meydan was replaced by a dirt track.
The race began as an ungraded stakes race before attaining Listed status in 1996. The race was elevated to Group 3 level in 2002 and became a Group 2 event in 2013.
The distance of the race changed from 1600 metres (8 furlongs). For the 2023–24 racing season the event was renamed to the Al Maktoum Mile and moved to be held in late December.
Records Record time: 1:35.48 - Spindrift (1999)
Most wins by a horse: 2 - Le Bernardin (2016, 2017)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 - Frankie Dettori (1996, 1997, 2009, 2011)
Most wins by a trainer: 8 - Saeed bin Suroor (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2014)
Most wins by an owner: 6 - Godolphin Racing (1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2009, 2014)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1994 Red Rainbow 6 Johnny Murtagh Dhruba Selvaratnam Jaffar Ali 1:39.20 1995 Halling 4 John Carroll Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:38.40 1996 Tamayaz 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:37.18 1997 Kammtarra 4 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:35.62 1998 Wathik 8 Paul Eddery Paddy Rudkin Saeed Al Ghandi 1:37.63 1999 Spindrift 4 Gary Hind Saeed bin Suroor Rashid bin Mohammed 1:35.48 2000 Siege 4 Sylvain Guillot Saeed bin Suroor Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum 1:35.70 2001 China Visit 4 John Carroll Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:36.12 2002 Skoozi 6 Wayne Smith Allan Smith Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mualla 1:35.99 2003 Estimraar 6 Wayne Smith Mazin Al Kurdi Rashid bin Mohammed 1:36.81 2004 State Shinto 8 Ryan Moore Mazin Al Kurdi Rashid bin Mohammed 1:37.37 2005 Grand Emporium 4 Weichong Marwing Mike de Kock A Geemooi 1:39.92 2006 Blatant 7 Richard Hills Ismail Mohammed Princess Haya of Jordan 1:36.71 2007 Imperialista 3 M Cardoso Cosme Morgado Estrela Energia Stables 1:35.962008Happy Boy4Jose Aparecido da SilvaP Nickel FilhoRoberto A L Reichert 1:36:372009My Indy4Frankie DettoriSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin1:36.522010Gloria de Campeao6Tiago Josue PereiraPascal Bary Estrela Energia Stables1:38.482011Mendip4Frankie DettoriSaeed bin SuroorHamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum1:36.452012Musir5Christophe SoumillonMike de KockMohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum 1:35.852013Barbecue Eddie9Dane O'NeillDoug WatsomHamdan Al Maktoum 1:37.242014Shuruq4Silvestre de SousaSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin 1:35.842015Surfer6Richard MullenSatish SeemarZabeel Racing International1:38.212016Le Bernardin7Tadhg O'SheaAli Rashid Al RaiheAhmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum1:37.122017Le Bernardin8Tadhg O'SheaAli Rashid Al RaiheAhmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum1:36.672018Heavy Metal8Mickael BarzalonaSalem bin GhadayerHamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum1:37.802019North America7Richard MullenSatish SeemarHamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum1:35.882020Kimbear6Pat DobbsDoug WatsonRashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi1:37.562021Military Law6Antonio FresuMusabbeh Al MheiriNasir Askar1:36.422022Golden Goal8Sam Hitchcott Doug WatsonDale Brennan1:37.902023 (Jan)Algiers6James DoyleSimon & Ed GrisfordHamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi1:35.882023 (Dec)Isolate5Tyler GaffalioneDoug Watson RRR Racing1:37.212024Meshtri4Ben CoenMichael Costa Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum1:36.202025Imperial Emperor5Tadhg O'SheaBhupat SeemarDeva Racing1:37.55
See also List of United Arab Emirates horse races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, (January) (December) , ,