Dubai World Cup: Riders directed to pull up mounts during Gold Cup; race will be re-run later in the day

Dubai racing officials called off the running of the $1 million Gold Cup midway through the two-mile race after a horse broke down in the stretch the first time around the course and could not be moved. Track offiicials, after speaking with the connections of the horses, decided that the race will be re-run at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, after the Dubai World Cup.

Godolphin’s Fox Hunt broke a leg about an eighth of mile into the Gold Cup, which was being run on Dubai World Cup night for the first time. Officials, who drive alongside the outer rail in a vehicle, instructed the other riders to pull their horses up.

Fox Hunt, who was the morning-line favorite, had to be euthanized. Jockey Sylvester de Sousa was okay and was expected to ride the remainder of the card.

Jockey Frankie Dettori, who was riding Opinion Poll for Godolphin, said there was no other choice but to stop the race.

“The horse broke his leg, he fell right near the point on the corner where we swing for home,” Dettori said. “The officials drove along - luckily - to stop the race because if we didn’t stop the race we would have run the horse over and there would have been more casualties.”