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Meydan Magic

DUBAI - A lavish opening ceremony greeted guests for the first ever Dubai World Cup to be held at the Meydan Racecourse, featuring a brief inauguration speech by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Fireworks, aerobatics and heritage-linked themes of falconry and fishing all commemorated last night’s ceremony in Nad Al Sheba, which began just before 9pm and preceded the $10 million final race of the night.

While the gargantuan stadium hurled up all manner of organisational nightmares for staff and visitors alike through the day, the grassy racecourse itself boasted the uniform and pristine surface of a snooker table. The same can’t be said of the tarmac area next to the action, which for some reason was littered with broken benches – either a result of poor craftsmanship or proof of the nation’s spiralling obesity rate.

Not that everyone through the turnstile was there for the racing; as is the tradition at Dubai events such as this, the polo and the rugby sevens, people flocked for the social happenings as much as the sport itself.

Ladies dressed in all manner of stylish outfits, with feathers and flowers dominating thematically, while the men tended towards the classic shirt and trousers look (although one or two fellows will have been thankful for their kilts in the humid weather).

And, of course, certain female guests opted towards the more flamboyant end of the spectrum – one lady sporting a Phantom of the Opera-esque Gothic hat and mask (incidentally, race seven winner Dar Re Mi belonged to Phantom creator Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber; his wife was on hand to pick up the trophy). Suffice to say, numerous other outfits wouldn’t have looked out of place on Lady GaGa.

A few racehorse names also raised an eyebrow – from the patriotic (California Flag, Ibn Battuta) to the optimistic (Bankable, Take the Points) to the downright misleading (Courageous Cat). One horse – Aussie proposition Rocket Man – even referenced the night’s entertainment, with Elton John playing a post-race show alongside guitar legend Carlos Santana.

Throughout the afternoon and early evening, a huge video screen helped spectators keep an eye on both the racing and other entertainment. As well as bolstering a confident performance by the Meydan Acoustic Choir, the ‘JumboTron’ aired footage of past winners – including the late Electrocutionist, ridden to glory by Frankie Dettori in 2006 just months before his death from a heart abnormality, and last year’s victor Well Armed.

adam@khaleejtimes.com