Entertainment

More than ten thousand people savoured the action at the fourth Dubai Future Champions Day at The Rowley Mile, the first to be held on a Friday as part of the Weekend of Champions.
The Roger Varian-trained Belardo established himself as a high-class colt with an impressive performance in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, while others to enhance their Classic credentials were Godolphins Charming Thought, winner of the vision.ae Middle Park Stakes, and Together Forever, who landed the Dubai Fillies Mile for Aidan OBrien.
However, Dubai Future Champions Day was not just about heralding champion racehorses. In keeping with the days theme, it was also about developing future champions and providing opportunities for students and school children to engage with and learn more about the racing industry.
As part of this Newmarket Racecourses and Newmarket Academy staged the inaugural Future Champions Education Week, supported by sponsorship from Dubai. Developed to work alongside the Newmarket Vision, its objective was to ensure that each student participating would not only gain a greater understanding of the racing industry, but also the history and heritage of the community and town they live in.
Continuing the future champions theme, the centuries old rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge was put to a new test with the first ever running of a Varsity Flat Race. Run as the final contest on the stellar card, Cambridge rider Kate Hamilton produced a stylish display in the saddle to win the mile contest aboard Ocean Applause. Trained in Newmarket by John Ryan, the victory helped her University take the Bearsted Perpetual Challenge Trophy by 56 points to Oxfords 45.
One of the most popular attractions on Dubai Future Champions Day was a very special exhibition which explored the development story of Dubai and its horse racing heritage, driven by the pioneering spirit of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Containing interactive digital touch screens and horse racing memorabilia, the exhibition was constructed especially for the day and attracted over 3,000 visitors.
Race-goers were also treated to a fashion display from Dubais top designer Huda Al Nuiami, as well as a hat-walk by Laylaleigh Millinery. The first-ever Grand Finale Best Dressed Competition, sponsored by The Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel, was also held in the Fashion Marquee and attracted a strong entry, which was not surprising given the fabulous prizes on offer put up by local businesses.

Dubai Future Champions Day came at the end of inaugural staging of the Future Champions Education Week with Newmarket Academy. Year 8 pupils at the Academy learned about core subjects in the national curriculum in a programme designed to engage them with the history and heritage of the Home of Horseracing.

Amy Starkey, Regional Director East, Jockey Club Racecourses, said:
The mission of the day and the week as a whole was to showcase the next generation of talent and to build and maintain a legacy. From the students taking part in the inaugural Future Champions Education Week and the best two-year-olds in Europe on show on Dubai Future Champions Day, it is all about stars of the future.I think we achieved that with the new initiatives we introduced. There was a wonderful atmosphere and buzz about The Rowley Mile and we thank Dubai for their continued active support and partnership of this event.

Matthew Hancock, Conservative MP for West Suffolk, said: Newmarket is the global headquarters of Horseracing, creating 9,000 jobs locally so I wholeheartedly support the work undertaken by Newmarket Racecourse in partnership with Dubai, for Future Champions Education Week. Its a great education programme which teaches local students what makes their town so unique. This programme will further strengthen the ties between Horseracing and the local community and we thank Dubai for their generous support of the event.

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