Opulence Thoroughbreds Dubai Bound - By Cornelius Lysaght

There is literally nothing not to like about the latest boundary-pushing venture from Opulence Thoroughbreds. What a superb opportunity is on offer as Britain’s most dynamic syndication company, already involved in Australia, continues to go international, this time touching down in Dubai.

There’s top-class racing aplenty, all the runners chasing top-class prizemoney during the Carnival at Meydan, the most modern of racecourses which boasts the world’s largest and – dare I say – most opulent grandstand complex: it’s fully a mile long. Additionally, the UAE’s other tracks provide more tempting running possibilities; then there are all the thrills associated with some vibrant international destinations (and exclusive holiday packages to get there); and, on top of everything else, the weather is mainly absolutely marvellous.

And I’ve not even got onto Bhupat Seemar yet. Because there’s been no messing around from Opulence in selecting a trainer. In a very short amount of time, India-born Seemar has become one of global racing’s highest profile and most talked about figures. Having cut his teeth in America, partly with multiple Grade One-winning trainer Bob Baffert, he worked for his uncle Satish, a six-time champion trainer of the UAE, at Zabeel Stables in central Dubai before taking over the reins of the operation in 2021. Now, as Opulence sends recent purchase Aragon Castle and hatrick hero Devoirs Choice, a highly successful yearling buy, plus others, to continue their careers in Dubai, Seemar is settling into magnificent new premises. Having moved down the road from Zabeel, which is undergoing development, the team is now to be located in the Green Stable, the grandest, best-equipped (we’re talking all mod cons) training facility at Meydan.

While acknowledging it was a sad goodbye to Zabeel, the trainer said: “How can you complain when you have the world's biggest, most majestic racetrack to train on…[and] to make some new memories.” But, before we continue, some of the old ones are well-worth recalling. In the three seasons since going solo, Bhupat Seemar and his number one jockey, once UK-based Irishman Tadhg O’Shea, have won a string of glittering prizes, headed by the $12m Dubai World Cup on dirt in March in which the Juddmonte-owned six-year-old Laurel River positively soared to a wide-margin success. And on an unforgettable day for trainer and rider they also took the $2m Golden Shaheen – for the second time – with Tuz, another runaway winner, and that despite not getting the run of the race. Seemar and O’Shea capped a spectacular run by being crowned champions of the UAE for the second and twelfth time respectively.

Plans are now afoot for an attempt by Laurel River on the $20m Saudi Cup in February en route to defending the World Cup. Meanwhile, Seemar is preparing to receive Opulence’s horses and, of course, in time, their enthusiastic owners. Aragon Castle, which earned a UK rating of 96 after recording a gritty success over a mile at the Ayr Gold Cup Festival when trained by Andrew Balding, arrives in Dubai imminently with a series of big-money Carnival races, on turf and dirt and over 1600 and/or 2000 metres, on the agenda before maybe, fingers crossed, a race on the World Cup card itself. Devoirs Choice, the winner of three one-mile races on the trot, at Redcar, Newbury and Kempton between August and October when with Ed Walker, will also be on the plane in the near future, as will Laguna Boy and Jungle Mac.

The great thing is that as well as everything at Meydan, there are also a multitude of valuable purses up for grabs at the UAE’s other racecourses, at Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Al Ain. So, I think it’s impossible not to get caught up in – and seriously excited about – the possibilities that lie ahead for Opulence owners, both on and off the track, especially with the masterful Bhupat Seemar on board too. Best of luck to all involved.