Missile and Drone Strikes Strand Dozens of Racing Staff in Dubai

Dozens of trainers, jockeys and racing staff found themselves stranded in Dubai after missile and drone strikes hit the United Arab Emirates on March 1, 2026, creating an immediate crisis for travel and preparations ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. The disruption left connections dependent on whether airports would reopen and whether planned early flights back to the UK could run.

One racing contact identified only as Owen described the atmosphere in Dubai and the knock‑on effect for Cheltenham plans. "With Cheltenham just round the corner, we’ve got horses galloping today at Huntingdon," Owen said. He added he had "been planning to get back this morning for that on the early flight, but we’re beholden to what happens. Hopefully things will calm down and the airports will open up." Owen reported hearing "a good bit [of noise] early on and then a bit more at lunchtime, but it’s been quiet the last few hours," and warned, "You just feel that more will happen in the evening, and you wouldn’t feel safe up in the air at the minute."

Jockey Kieran Shoemark, who partnered Fort George to a win at Meydan in January, described sustained explosions and immediate practical consequences for riders based in Dubai. "We were hearing it all through the night, and again this morning. It's very clear," Shoemark said. He added, "I feel like we're probably in the safest place in the Gulf, and Sheikh Mohammed's presence at the racecourse last night was somewhat reassuring." Shoemark said officials had advised those on site to stay put. "I'm hearing that nothing is going to change for two to three days, and we've just been advised to sit tight. My apartment has been extended for as long as I need it. There are just a lot of unknowns here right now."

People on the ground reported that the UAE was intercepting Iranian missiles as part of the strikes, and visual evidence captured "projectiles fall[ing] over the night sky in Dubai," a scene recorded by AFP via Getty Images. The sensory impact weighed on staff and riders; an excerpt of the reporting observed, "It's the sounds that make the biggest impression - it’s like something off Netflix."

The disruption has practical racing consequences. With Cheltenham entries and gallops already under way in the UK, trainers and jockeys face potential missed engagements and delayed returns to two‑year‑olds and other horses in Britain. One voice in the reporting summed that tension in a personal way: "It sounds ridiculous when you’re talking about global issues, and I’m worried about getting back to see my two‑year‑olds."

For now, the winter international stop at Meydan has left the British contingent waiting on airports and official guidance. Trainers who had booked early flights are "beholden to what happens," Shoemark and Owen said, and the immediate horizon for travel appears to be two to three days unless airports and authorities update their advice.