Racing personnel stranded in Dubai amidst Middle Eastern conflict

Super Saturday may have gone ahead against a backdrop of the ongoing military action in the Middle East, but Sunday brought further challenges as British racing personnel, including trainers and jockeys, found themselves stranded in Dubai.

Countries in the Gulf region have been targeted in retaliation from Iran since US and Israeli forces combined for what it described as a “pre-emptive” strike against the Tehran government on Saturday.

Iranian attacks were visible to the participants at Meydan on Saturday and have continued through Sunday, resulting in debris from aerial interceptions which have caused fires at the city’s main port and on the facade of the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.

Jamie Osborne saddled leading dirt performer Heart Of Honor on the Super Saturday card and told the Press Association: “It’s a pretty unique situation to find yourself in, that is for certain.

“Last night was pretty surreal. You’re standing in the paddock watching missiles get shot through the sky.

“This morning it kind of looked like it was escalating as there was lots of banging, then it died down and then this afternoon there’s been a little wave of them.

“I would say the UAE are doing an unbelievably good job of keeping everybody safe and in His Highness Sheikh Mohammed we trust.

“I don’t want anyone to think we’re bunkered down in a basement here. We’re in the Meydan hotel and to be honest if you were just sitting here and you were deaf you wouldn’t know anything was happening.”

Dubai International Airport has been confirmed as one of the locations to have sustained minor damage during an “incident” that injured four staff, according to authorities.

Major Airlines have confirmed flights to and from countries in the Middle East are to remain suspended until at least Monday as the conflict in the region continues, with Osborne amongst many awaiting news of when they may be able to return to the UK.

Osborne added: “It’s annoying as I’d like to be back at home dealing with everything I should be dealing with at home, but we’re stuck here and quite how we get home and when we get home is very much up in the air.

“Initially they said the airport could be back open this afternoon, now they’re saying tomorrow (Monday) afternoon and I would say they’re putting in these minimums and the reality will depend on the rate of shots that Iran are having. It’s very unclear when we’ll be able to fly.”

Karl Burke decided against attending Super Saturday, but like many is watching the scenes unfold from home Yorkshire while waiting for news from daughter Kelly, who did make the trip to Dubai to oversee the Spigot Lodge operation’s runners on the night.

Karl Burke said: “My daughter Kelly and my assistant and son-in-law James (Cowley, husband of Burke’s other daughter Lucy) are still out there and stuck at the moment.

“They’re fine but look like they will be stuck there for a few days now, certainly the rest of this week I would have thought.

“They didn’t have the best of nights last night. I know Kelly was staying on the 39th floor of her hotel and they were all told to go down to the lobby and ground level, so I don’t think they got a lot of sleep.”

He added: “Fingers crossed things die down and they can get home as quick as they can, but with these situations they can change directions very easily.

“Kelly only went out for the weekend to help look after things for us out there as we had four runners. I decided not to go and it’s not a nice situation, but she’s fine at the moment.”

Super Saturday may have gone ahead as planned but the Emirates Racing Authority postponed Sunday’s card at Jebel Ali until March 15, with the course next set to stage racing next Sunday. Meydan is also slated to race a day earlier on March 7.

Elsewhere in the region, Bahrain is set to host the two-day King’s Cup fixture on Thursday and Friday.