Forever Young Safe and Training at Meydan Ahead of Dubai World Cup

Japanese superstar Forever Young is safely stabled and training at Meydan racecourse as connections keep the Dubai World Cup on March 28 squarely in view, even as regional tensions raise immediate questions about meet continuity, betting pools and jockey availability. World Horse Racing shared video of the horse's morning workout around Racing Dubai, and entries and declarations are still being processed for this week’s fixtures in Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi’s stable social media showed Forever Young and his groom appearing happy on Monday morning, a visual reassurance for owners and punters after the horse’s previous headline-making form, including a listed victory tagged as “Forever Young wins the Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.” Yahagi’s presence at Meydan keeps Japan’s great dirt track runner on course for the March 28 target, but travel and staffing questions persist.

The regional security picture is unsettled as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has produced missile and drone interceptions and prompted UAE authorities to activate nationwide emergency protocols. “In response to the escalation, authorities activated nationwide emergency protocols. These included the temporary closure of sections of airspace, suspension of flights, and a shift to distance learning for schools, while the private sector was advised to adopt remote working arrangements,” an official summary of measures states, and NCEMA has reaffirmed that monitoring efforts remain ongoing as part of precautionary preparedness.

Aviation disruption has concrete knock-on effects for racing operations. BloodHorse reports “dozens of jockeys and trainers are among thousands of people stranded across the Gulf region” and that “Dubai International Airport has been confirmed as one of the locations to have sustained damage during Iranian attacks.” At the same time, there has been movement toward restoration: “Monday evening has the beginning of an answer: a Dubai Airports statement says flights will resume immediately, with Abu Dhabi opening up Tuesday.” Feb. 28 Super Saturday at Meydan already drew fly-ins including Ryan Moore, Oisin Murphy and Stephane Pasquier, underlining how jockey availability and last-minute declarations could shift markets.

Riders and agents on the ground described a mixture of fear and pragmatism. “This is the fight of the big people,” says Silvestre de Sousa, the man currently leading the UAE jockey premiership. “It’s scary, you just don’t know what to do. When you finish your work, is it the end of the day or is it the end of your time? Will I be having this phone call with you tomorrow? It makes you think.” By contrast, Murphy, Britain’s champion jockey, says he “Feels safe here,” adding, “There was no conflict that I was aware of, aerial conflict, while we were riding, it really wasn’t going on in my mind. I wouldn’t say we’re involved in any direct conflict.”

Connections beyond Forever Young face travel uncertainty that could influence fields and betting. “Back in Dubai, So is hopeful that his horse, Sing Dragon, will be able to take his scheduled flight out on March 6, and that he will be on his way back to Hong Kong around the same time, hopefully before,” and the Hong Kong Jockey Club contingent “had to register with the Chinese Embassy, just to be safe.” Organizers are taking a cautious posture: “Business as usual in unusual circumstances is the general approach: deal with things as they happen, and the ‘will it, won’t it’ will be decided by those far, far above the racing club pay grades.” For now, Forever Young’s workout footage offers certainty on the track even as aviation, stranded personnel and reports of airport damage leave the broader commercial and sporting stakes hanging on further security and Dubai Airports updates.