But, on rare occasions, there are diamonds in the rough to be found. Just ask Nadir Khassanov and while you're at it, talk to the people at Mulholland Springs. On Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, Khassanov, a bloodstock agent from Kazakhstan, paid $12,000 for hip 3831, a chestnut colt with three white socks and a big baldy face who very much resembled his sire California Chrome, who had since departed these shores for Japan.

For a horse on day 11 of the sale, the February foal had a fair amount of black-type on his page. His dam Little Emily (Castledale {Ire}) was a stakes winner of better than $132,000 and was kin to a pair of stakes horses, including a solid black-type producer.

“I think I would have given up to $20,000 for it, it's just that the prices for California Chrome foals fell that year, and I managed to buy Kabirkhan,” Khassanov explained. “There were some minor flaws, but I liked his conformation and I was a fan of California Chrome.”

Mulholland Springs's John Henry Mulholland thought Khassanov was getting a bargain.

“Good-looking colt. Very athletic and carried himself with class,” he said. “Not a thing wrong with the colt. If it had been Book 3 or 4 and the market was hot on California Chrome, he brings $100,000. Just one of those things where the commercial market goes cold and it's the last day of the Keeneland September Sale.”

So, the colt was off to Kazakhstan to race in the colors of Tlek Mukanbetkaliyev. By now, you've probably seen the video–a three-horse race in which Kabirkhan beat Sky Indy (Sky Mesa)–purchased by Khassanov for $10,000 during Session 10 of the September Sale–by about three lengths at a very sloppy Almaty Racecourse in Kazakhstan's most-populous city. The victory was worth the equivalent of about $350.

This is INCREDIBLE!

Watch KABIRKHAN make his debut at Almaty Hippodrome in Kazakhstan in 2022…and then watch his runaway G1 win in the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan @RacingDubai last night! pic.twitter.com/Z6jKSZtLwp

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) January 27, 2024

Two more wins followed at Almaty, including a local Group 1 over 1600 meters, and by the time 2023 had rolled around, Kabirkhan was moved to Russia. There he ran his undefeated streak to eight in the Kabardino Balkaria Derby, good for a $12,000 payday, but he tasted defeat for the first time in $113,000 Russian Derby when beaten by Hero Mo (Mo Town) last September.

Russian-based horses have recently left their mark in Dubai, with Azure Coast (Street Sense) winning the 2022 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas as well as Tuz (Oxbow), who took out this year's G3 Al Shindagha Sprint and is not without his chances in this weekend's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. So it was not entirely shocking to see Kabirkhan transferred to the care of perennial leading trainer Doug Watson in the Emirates.

“We Kazakh equestrians have long dreamed of getting to Dubai, and then such a magnificent horse as Kabirkhan turned up, and we decided to try it,” Khassanov said. “At the moment, he is the most famous horse in Kazakhstan, we all love and support him.”

Beyond the agent's wildest dreams, Kabirkhan became arguably the story of this year's Dubai Racing Carnival, turning the tables on Hero Mo in a 2000-meter handicap before following up with another impressive victory in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge on two weeks' rest.

“We really believed in him,” Khassanov insisted.

And now he has the opportunity to do something even more special in Saturday's G1 Dubai World Cup against a field that includes defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) and GI Santa Anita H. hero Newgate (Into Mischief).

“We are considered the third favorites in the race and I will cheer and support him, I think we have a chance to write our name in the history of the Cup,” Khassanov said. “I am very proud of him and wish him only victory.”

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Further incentives, including travel, will be decided by a special committee on a horse-by-horse basis. Stable staff staying in the quarantine facilities can do so for a fee of AED1000 per month (US$272).

These incentives are in addition to the new Dubai World Cup Bonus Race Scheme–nine races guaranteeing starting places at the Dubai World Cup meeting, with bonuses of more than $4million. The bonus, 10% of the prize-money for the corresponding race on the Dubai World Cup card, will be paid if the horse wins both races.

“We're really excited about our new-look season. The new programme is aimed at encouraging owners and trainers to base their horses here throughout the winter, allowing them to make use of our five star facilities and wonderful climate,” Major General Dr. Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, Executive Director of Dubai Racing Club, commented.

The Dubai Racing Carnival precedes the $30.5million Dubai World Cup meeting, which takes place on Saturday, Mar. 3, 2024.

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The season will offer three feature race nights starting in December (AED4.7 million), then January (AED10 million), and Super Saturday in March (AED 10million), which brings the total purses for the three meetings to AED24.7 million. The minimum purse for non-stakes races is AED165,000, which is back to pre-pandemic levels. The G1 Dubai World Cup night retains total purse money of US$30.5 million (AED112 million).

“The new shape and identity of the Dubai Racing Carnival has the potential of boosting Dubai's strategic position as a regional centre for horseracing sports and a favourite racing destination,” Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said. “This is thanks to the rich races on offer and the expertise, services and facilities at the iconic Meydan Racecourse.

The Dubai Racing Carnival encompasses 14 meetings, excluding Dubai World Cup day, each offering seven to nine races. Racing takes place on Fridays, except for Super Saturday and the Dubai World Cup Saturday.

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“Lord North has been invited to run in the Dubai Turf and he seems in good form at home so the plan would be for he and Mishriff to travel,” trainer John Gosden told the Racing Post. “Lord North goes well fresh and Mishriff seems to have come out of his Saudi Cup win in good shape, so it's all systems go for World Cup night.”

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