Dubai: Much of the excitement lay in the 10-race meet Dubai Racing Carnival - the best build-up to Saturday's much anticipated Dubai World Cup.
They have had their highs and their lows as they prepared for the world's richest race.
We attempt to take you through the Dubai Racing Carnival that got under way on January 17 and went on till March 6.
Brazil's double at curtain-raiser (January 17)
Brazil stole the show for the second year running on the opening day of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, after Happy Boy and Happy Runner struck for the South American country.
Both horses represented trainer Pedro Nickel Filho, jockey Jose Aparecido Da Silva, and owner Roberto Reichert.
Boy wonder (January 26)
UAE Derby winner Asiatic Boy took a significant first step towards what could be a special season when winning the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint.
Top Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, who excels on the big occasion having won the Epsom Derby three times, rode a race even he would have been proud off.
Bin Surour's fantastic four (January 31)
Trainer Saeed Bin Surour saddled an incredible four winners out of seven at the third meeting of the Dubal-sponsored meeting.
Frankie Dettori, in the Godolphin blue silks, was on board Blackat Kitten and Igor Protti in the 1,600-metre and 2,000-metre dirt contests, while Willie Supple obliged on River Tiber in the first division of the 1600m turf handicap before Ted Durcan partnered Sentinelese in the closing second division.
De Kock, Shea combine (February 7)
Mike De Kock and Kevin Shea dominated the fourth Dubai International Racing Carnival meeting taking both the feature race and chief supporting contest.
The South African trainer and rider landed the Group 3 Maktoum Challenge Round 2, thanks to the effort of Lucky Find.
Beach highlight for Bin Surour (February 8)
Saeed Bin Surour recorded his second four-timer of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival, highlighted by Cocoa Beach's emphatic win in the UAE 1,000 Guineas Stakes, the feature of the Meydan-sponsored card.
A former star in Chile, the filly reversed placings with stablemate Fiesta Lady, who beat her on the opening night of the Carnival.
De Kock takes honours (February 14)
Mike De Kock celebrated his birthday with a brilliant one-two in the Gulf News UAE 2,000 Guineas, as Honour Devil bravely saw off his stablemate Royal Vintage to land the colt's Classic.
Honour Devil was following in the footsteps of Asiatic Boy - who runs in the same colours of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and was the first horse to win the UAE Triple Crown last year.
Archipenko lands Al Fahidi Fort (February 21)
Archipenko announced himself as a live chance for the Dubai Duty Free after Mike de Kock landed his third Al Fahidi Fort, the feature race at the Commercial Bank of Dubai-sponsored card.
The four-year-old, who boasted Group 2-winning form for his former trainer Aidan O'Brien, now runs in the Asiatic Boy colours of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
Sun Classique feeling (February 22)
Sun Classique came from what looked an impossible position to win the Balanchine Stakes, at the eighth meeting of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
The four-year-old filly's victory in the 1,777-metre turf contest was the highlight of a treble for the South African trainer-jockey combination of Mike De Kock and Kevin Shea.
Curlin announces arrival (February 28)
With jockey Robby Albarado still in the saddle, Curlin scored an easy win in Dubai at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, while major Kentucky Derby contender Pyro won again for Steve Asmussen, taking the Louisiana Derby in impressive fashion.
Curlin hauled in the $175,000 Jaguar Trophy by overtaking Imperialista at the head of the stretch and pouring on the familiar power under a whopping 132 pounds.
His rivals carried a skimpy 117 impost.
Jalil bursts onto the scene (March 6)
Jalil burst on to the Dubai World Cup scene with an authoritative win in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, the highlight of the Super Thursday card.
The Godolphin four-year-old's win was the climax of a wonderful treble for Saeed Bin Surour, who has dominated the 2008 Dubai International Carnival, taking his tally to 24 winners for the 10 meetings.
