Dubai: Dubai World Cup horse race has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus, organisers said on Sunday.
This year’s event was scheduled for March 28.
The main race carries a purse of 12 million USD (11.2 million euros) at the state-of-the-art Meydan racecourse in Dubai.
25th edition postponed
“Dubai World Cup has decided to postpone the 25th edition of the global event until next year,” a statement said.
The event was created by horse enthusiast Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
The main race is a Group 1 flat race of 2km run on a dirt track and has been won by Maktoum’s own Godolphin stable with Irish horse Thunder Snow mounted by the great Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon in the last two seasons.
Worldwide coronavirus case
More than 14,000 deaths have been recorded since the virus first emerged in December.
There have been more than 324,290 infections reported in 171 countries and territories.
Italy has recorded 5,476 deaths out of 59,138 cases, with more than 7,000 recoveries.
China has 81,054 cases, including 3,261 fatalities and 72,244 people recovered.