Eleven jockeys who had experience in the United Arab Emirates racing season competed in five turf races on 50 horses in pursuit of a total purse of 3.75 million yuan ($579,000) at the Jinma Racecourse in Wenjiang district, Chengdu, Sichuan province on Saturday.

The jockeys come from countries including France, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil and Argentina.

The Chengdu Dubai International Cup Wenjiang-Meydan Classic, held in Wenjiang for a third year, consists of five races: the 1,400 meter Wenjiang Sprint, 1,600m Guangsha Handicap, 2,418m Meydan Handicap, 1,600m Wenjiang Meydan Classic, and 2,218 m Chengdu Dubai International Cup.

Each of the first three races carry a purse of 500,000 yuan, the 1,600m Wenjiang Meydan Classic is worth 750,000 yuan and the final race, the 2,218 m Chengdu Dubai international cup, is worth the most at 1.5 million yuan, according to the organizers.

Richard Mullen, a jockey who has come to Wenjiang for the races for the third year, won the 2,200-meter Chengdu Dubai International Cup. Mullen said he didn't get good results in the first two years, but he is satisfied that he finally won the championship this year.

"I'm very glad to come back to Chengdu. The facilities and weather here are very good for the contests," said Dutch jockey Adrie De Vries, who participated in the races for the second year. The 48-year-old is winner of the 1,600m Guangsha Handicap.

In 2014, Wenjiang district held the first Chengdu Dubai International Cup, making Chengdu the first foreign city to stage the Dubai International Cup outside the UAE.