The Dubai Racing Carnival comes to an end on Saturday night after 17 weeks of action in the Middle East. Check out our 2026 Sheema Classic runners guide ahead of the huge turf race.
Europeans Collide As 2026 Sheema Classic Runners Whittled Down To Six
Globetrotting sensation Rebels Romance was pulled out of the race on Monday and will not return to Meydan where he would have been looking for a second win in the Sheema Classic.
Charlie Appleby’s prescence in the race was left unscathed though as he still has five-year-olds Royal Power and By The Book in the contest.
The current favourite for the race is Calandagan and represents France. Ireland have a runner too as Ethical Diamond lines up for Willie Mullins. The rest of the field consists of British runners Giavellotto and West Wind Blows.
2026 Sheema Classic Runners
As well as the Dubai World Cup, the Sheema Classic is another one of the richest races on the planet, see our runners guide below.
1 – Calandagan @ 1/3 (Francis Graffard)
Kept fresh after his win in the Japan Cup back in November, CALANDAGAN heads to Meydan looking for revenge. The classy five-year-old finished second last year and holds the best chance of winning it this time around.
In his 14-run career so far, Calandagan has finished in the first three every time. And every run since his Deauville debut, he has come first or second.
Trainer Francis Graffard claims his horse is in better form than last year. Still only five, 12 months is a long time for the development of a horse and Calandagan is reportedly 20 kilos heavier than when finishing second in 2025.
This four-time Group 1 winner should have way too much talent for his rivals.
WATCH: Calandagan Wins 2025 Japan Cup
HE’S DONE IT! CALANDAGAN WINS THE JAPAN CUP IN A RECORD TIME! 🇯🇵🏆#ジャパンカップ #競馬 pic.twitter.com/7Lc0bgSba8
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 30, 2025
2 – Ethical Diamond @ 10/3 (Willie Mullins)
No horse can be discounted in any race when they’re trained by Willie Mullins and ETHICAL DIAMOND is no different.
Mullins’ charge has won his last three starts on the level, with the most recent one the best of them all. Ethical Diamond won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar back in November and should be respected here.
This will be the second Dubai World Cup night that Mullins has had and he’ll be hoping for a better result here. The only other time the Closutton maestro sent one over for the big night was when Simenon finished last in the 2014 Dubai Gold Cup.
Likely to be the best of the rest, with Calandagan probably hard to beat.
WATCH: Ethical Diamond Wins Breeders’ Cup Turf
ETHICAL DIAMOND WINS THE BREEDERS’ CUP TURF! 🤯#BC25 @BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/riyuGIH3aO
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 1, 2025
3 – Giavellotto @ 7/1 (Marco Botti)
There’s no denying that GIAVELLOTTO deserves his place in races like this but he’ll likely be found out by younger rivals.
He was a solid fifth in the race last year and it looks like he’ll have to settle for a place once again, although there is one guarantee that he’ll be race-fit after a recent outing in Doha.
Giavellotto surprised many when finishing fourth in the Arc De Triomph last year and he’s showing still at the age of seven that he has what it takes to dance with the best. He also ran a brilliant second in the Hong Kong Vase back in December.
4 – Royal Power @ 20/1 (Charlie Appleby)
Relatviely unexposed, ROYAL POWER has improved for the 1m4f trip since stepping up in distance late last year three starts ago.
He returned from a year off the track when comfortably beating West Wind Blows in Abu Dhabi last month and whilst it’s hard to know how he’ll fare in this field, he would definitely be a surprise winner.
Does have winning course and distance form and William Buick chooses him over his stablemate.
5 – By The Book @ 33/1 (Charlie Appleby)
Similarly to stablemate Royal Power, BY THE BOOK has winning course and distance form – but that was just a handicap.
Would have been third string if Rebels Romance turned up, holds little chance – but coming back down in trip should benefit after he was third in a Group 3 over 1m6f. Does have the assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle.
6 – West Wind Blows @ 66/1 (Simon & Ed Crisford)
WEST WIND BLOWS has won plenty of races in his time, including two French Group 3s, but this is way out of his comfort zone.
Age has probbably caught up to him and he was never a threat to Royal Power at Abu Dhabi last month. Making up the numbers and will be lucky not to finish last. Have to respect connections taking their chance though.
Full Betting for 2026 Sheema Classic Runners
- Calandagan @ 1/3
- Ethical Diamond @ 10/3
- Giavellotto @ 7/1
- Royal Power @ 20/1
- By The Book @ 33/1
- West Wind Blows @ 66/1
