Dubai Duty Free back for latest World Cup season

Dubai - Dubai Duty Free is one of the original sponsors of the Dubai World Cup day event and this season will help Meydan celebrate the 20th running of the world’s richest raceday.

Photo by: Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins

Dubai Duty Free returns to Meydan Racecourse for the first time in the 20th Dubai World Cup season with a six-race all-Thoroughbred card at Meydan Racecourse.

This Thursday will see the Meydan Pillar Partner present the second meeting of the new term, highlighted by the Dh130,000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship benchmark 95 handicap. All six races will be staged on Meydan’s new 1,750m dirt track.

In addition to Thursday’s card, the multi award-wining airport retailer also supports a meeting worth $640,000 during the Dubai World Cup Carnival as well as the $6 million Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, which is held on Dubai World Cup day.

Dubai Duty Free is one of the original sponsors of the Dubai World Cup day event and this season will help Meydan celebrate the 20th running of the world’s richest raceday.

Commenting on its partnership with Dubai Racing Club, Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin, said: “Horseracing plays an important part in Dubai Duty Free’s sponsorship portfolio and as one of the founding sponsors of Dubai World Cup, we are proud to be part of Dubai Racing Club’s season.

“The start of the racing season, which began on November 6 and highlights 19 race meetings, proves to be a successful platform for the global promotion of Dubai and its world-class sporting, leisure and business facilities.

“We are proud to be sponsoring six races on November 20 and we are also looking forward to some great racing on March 28, 2015 for the Dubai World Cup day where the operation is sponsoring the $6 million Group 1 Dubai Duty Free.”

Meydan Board Member and Chairman of the Meydan Racing Committee, Malih al Basti said: “This season carries a special significance for us as we prepare to stage the Dubai World Cup day for a landmark 20th time. It gives us great pleasure to stand with our Pillar Partners as we mark this milestone.

“Dubai Duty Free is one of the companies that has been with us right from the very beginnings of Dubai World Cup day and we are proud that we are still able to count the organisation as a key supporter of our racing season. The Group 1 Dubai Duty Free is one of the richest turf races in the world and was staged on that very first Dubai World Cup-day card. It has grown into a globally significant race in its own right which is targeted by horsemen from all over the world as the goal for the season.”

Over the past three decades, Dubai Duty Free has become a highly-recognised global brand that has shown considerable sales growth, consistently setting new retail milestones, when it recorded sales figures of $1.8 billion last year.

The award-winning operation, which is the single largest airport retailer in the world in terms of turnover, is expected to achieve sales of $1.9 billion in 2014.

• Dubai