About the race
The Longines Dubai Sheema Classic is staged by Dubai Racing Club at Meydan Racecourse as Race 8 on Dubai World Cup day. The club’s 2026-27 condition book lists it as a Group 1 over 2410m on turf, by invitation only, for four-year-olds and upwards and Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds, with a 2kg allowance for fillies and mares and prize money of USD 6,000,000. The 2027 running is on Saturday 27 March 2027.
The 2025 running, at the Dubai World Cup meeting of 5 April 2025, went to Japan’s Danon Decile, ridden by Keita Tosaki for trainer Shogo Yasuda, with Calandagan second and Durezza third, according to Dubai Racing Club. Calandagan won the race on 28 March 2026 for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and jockey Mickael Barzalona. The IFHA ranked the race fifth in the world for 2025, with a rating of 124.00.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 April 2025 | Danon Decile (JPN) | Keita Tosaki | Shogo Yasuda | n/v |
From the official result.
The 2026 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 March 2026 | Calandagan (IRE) | Mickael Barzalona | Francis-Henri Graffard | Zahra Aga Khan |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Race day
- Dubai World Cup day, Race 8 on the 2027 card
- Entry
- By invitation only
- Weights (2027)
- Four-year-olds 57.0kg, five-year-olds and older 57.5kg; fillies and mares 2.0kg allowance
- Meeting prize money
- US$30.5 million across the nine races on the Dubai World Cup card, according to Dubai Racing Club
- IFHA 2025 ranking
- Rank 5, race rating 124.00
Questions readers ask
When is the Dubai Sheema Classic run?
On Dubai World Cup day at Meydan Racecourse. Dubai Racing Club's 2026-27 condition book lists the 2027 running on Saturday 27 March 2027.
What is the prize fund of the Dubai Sheema Classic?
USD 6,000,000 for the 2027 running, according to Dubai Racing Club's 2026-27 condition book. The 2025 and 2026 runnings were also run for $6,000,000.
Who won the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2025?
Danon Decile, ridden by Keita Tosaki and trained by Shogo Yasuda, won on 5 April 2025, one and a quarter lengths ahead of Calandagan, according to Dubai Racing Club.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.
- IFHA: LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025 (published 21 January 2026)
- Dubai Racing Carnival 2026-27 Full Condition Book (Dubai Racing Club)
- Danon Decile produces statement performance to land Sheema Classic (Dubai Racing Club, 6 April 2025)
- Race 8 post-race press conference: $6,000,000 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) (Dubai Racing Club, 28 March 2026)
- 'World's Best Racehorse' Calandagan adds Dubai Sheema Classic to dazzling record (Dubai Racing Club, 28 March 2026)
- DWC race replay, Race 8, Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, April 05, 2025 (Dubai Racing Club)