Dubai World Cup is an annual horse-racing event that started in 1996 and happens at the Nad Al Sheba race course in Dubai, UAE (United Arab Emirates). The horse race happens at the end of March, near the time of the Dubai Shopping Festival [DSF]. The event is sponsored by Emirates Airlines and is worth US$ 6 Million, making it the richest horse race in the world.

The Nad Al Sheba racecourse is 10 minutes from the main city, and is a 2.2 kilometers (1.36 miles) left handed dirt track which was first laid out in 1986 and resurfaced in 1997 before the Dubai World Cup 98.

There are seven races during the horse event; six for thoroughbreds and one for purebred Arabians. Four of the six thoroughbred events are Group I level, which are the Dubai World Cup, the US$ 2 Million Dubai Duty Free, the US$ 2 Million Dubai Sheema Classic and the US$ 2 Million Dubai Golden Shaheen. The other two thoroughbred events are Group II level, which are the US$ 2 Million UAE Derby and the US$ 1 Million Godolphin Mile. The final horse event, purebred Arabian race, is the Dubai Kahayla Classic which is a Group I status race for $US 250 Thousand.

1996 - 2001
1 1/4 miles (2100 meters) dirt, Nad al Sheba, Dubai