Horse Racing in the UAE

The Dubai World Cup, held at Meydan Racecourse on the last Saturday of March, is the world's single richest race day with total prize money exceeding $30 million across nine Group 1 and Listed races. Sponsored by Emirates and organised by the Dubai Racing Club under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai World Cup card draws the world's best dirt and turf horses for a spectacle unlike any other in global racing.

Meydan Racecourse, opened in 2010 at a cost of $1.5 billion, features the world's longest grandstand at 1.6km — accommodating 60,000 spectators beneath a cantilevered roof — and racing on both Tapeta all-weather and turf surfaces. The Dubai Carnival from January through March fills Meydan with international-quality racing in the build-up to the World Cup, attracting string after string from Europe and the Americas competing in the warm Gulf winter climate.