Dubai World Cup prize money kept at $12 million

March 27, 2021 meet will take place at Meydan Racecourse

The 2020 Dubai World Cup in March was cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. EPA

Prize money for next year's Dubai World Cup has been retained at $12 million, the Dubai Racing Club (DRC) announced Saturday.

This year's 25th Dubai World Cup was cancelled in March following the coronavirus pandemic at a week's notice.

Plans for the event's silver jubilee in 2021 are already under way with the nomination period for Dubai's flagship meeting extended until January 20.

Held on the final Saturday of March each year, the single day of racing boasts six Group 1 and three Group 2 races, reflective of the elite standard of competition, hosted at the Meydan Racecourse.

While the prize money for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup race has been retained, the purses for the remaining eight races are slightly reduced from 2019, though the money will be spread among the top fight finishers in each race.

While the UAE horse racing is well under way, DRC has not announced whether spectators will be permitted to attend Meydan on March 27.

In the lead-up to the Dubai World Cup is the nine Dubai World Cup Carnival meetings starting on 7 January. The Carnival runs every Thursday at Meydan, culminating with Super Saturday, the traditional dress rehearsal of the Dubai World Cup, on March 6.