Julio Guimaraes

JRA sent an email to owners considering a Dubai campaign that strongly urged caution. Below is the translated text of the email: “As you are aware, on Thursday, March 5, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its travel advisory for the UAE to Level 3 (Recommendation to Avoid All Travel). According to stable staff currently staying on site, fortunately both horses and personnel from each stable remain safe, and training has continued smoothly. However, air raid alerts have been sounding on smartphones almost every day, and some stable staff are reportedly becoming mentally fatigued. In light of this situation, related organizations — including JAIRS, which had been contracted by the Dubai Racing Club to provide stable support and interpretation services — as well as JRA officials, have cancelled their travel to Dubai. Dubai itself remains in an extremely fluid and unpredictable situation amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. Therefore, we respectfully ask owners planning both the participation of their horses and their own travel to carefully reconsider the matter once again with their trainers, and to make a prudent decision regarding whether to proceed with the campaign.”