Lead Up to the Dubai World Cup Day
The tall gold trophy in the centre for the eight races is for the winner of
the Dubai World Cup. Photo Racing International
The Dubai government stepped in Thursday with a $9.5 billion guarantee to underwrite the state-owned part of Dubai World's $20 billion debt by converting its share to equity and is suppling DW $1.5 billion to continue Nakeel building projects.
DW wants to spread repayment over eight years of the remainder of the debt and can now negotiate with its international bankers from a position of strength.
With additional backing from local banks, financial confidence is returning to the area and, in addition, Dubai has discovered new oil reserves.
Still--what strikes one on returning to Dubai after two years are the missing cranes and omnipresent construction sites that created magnificent architecture and blighted the attractive city.
Many of us, returning to Meydan Racecourse from its early construction days, wondered if even the dirt access road to the Meydan Racecourse would be paved and how complete the facility would be for its official opening day when over 60,000 racegoers were expected to attend the Dubai World Cup.
Not only was the road paved, but the massive racecourse structure plus extensive parking and a five-star hotel are close to complete.
Hundreds or more workers are working round-the-clock shifts to finish the Racecourse in time for the 15th Dubai World Cup Day on Saturday, March 27.
This last-minute frantic effort is no different from the old racecourse's opening when finishing touches were in place only minutes before the crowd arrived for the DWC. That army of workers completed Nad Al Sheba's public facilities on time and members of the press arrived to the opening not having to wear hard hats for the first time to enter the press room.
This year the press needed no hard hats. Instead, over 600 media members, found an enlarged fifth-floor, finish-line viewing balcony and press room with individual cubicles.
View of the stands, paddock, winner's circle, presentation platform, prize
draw car, Turf straight and Tapeta course from Press Room's fifth-floor
balcony. Horses enter the paddock from the left red chute and exit for
the course by the long red shut. Only the winner returns to the winner's
circle horse shoe via the latter chute. Photo Racing International
There is also a second, large media room mainly for photographers convenient to dashing between the pre-parade (in back of the building) and parade rings (track side) with shortcuts through the building.
Being closest to the horses before the races is where a racing analyst should be so I have requested to join the often shirty photographers on the Mezzanine.
We still have access to the high course view by taking a lift to the fifth floor press room which is directly above the finish line.
View of winning post on the Tapeta course from the press room balcony.
Photo Racing International
The PR department of the Dubai Racing Club will assign places at the last minute in either the cubicles in the track side press room or places at the long tables in the parade ring facilities.
We expect to arrive for high drama over assignments and perhaps personal skirmishes. That is life in the media.
Everyone becomes a paparazzi--even writers.
One thing we can be sure of is that Frank Gabriel, CEO of the DRC and former CEO of Arlington Park (IL, USA) will produce perfection in the racing production.
Since the Dubai Carnival was staged on the Meydan Racecourse Turf and Tapeta All-Weather courses from January 28, most of the kinks have been removed from the most important part of the event--racing.
According to jockeys who have been riding the courses since January, the courses are perfect.
Thursday morning at the Breakfast with the Stars event, the straight Turf course was lush and dewy for the horses early morning track work.
The curved All-Weather Tapeta oval course was spongy, springy and greasy giving excellent traction for horses.
At Meydan, Tapeta (made of dirt, sand, wax and plastics) replaced the Dirt course of Nad Al Sheba with some controversy. Famous Dirt champions, such as, Rachel Alexandra, will not compete in Dubai.
The decision to replace Dirt with AW as well as placing the Turf course closest to the public and the AW course inside the Turf course reflected the focus of the DWC's geographical position in the Middle East which is a crossroads for European, African and the Far Eastern race horses to compete.
Most of the countries in these regions race on Turf and AW--not Dirt.
The USA remains the Dirt holdout--perhaps not for long given increasing concerns over safety issues.
Looking up the paddock steps to the exclusive Royal Family enclosure above at
night; the Dubai World Cup is the last race and is run at night.
Photo Racing International
After racecourse orientation, DWC guests and visitors were invited to the traditional Arabian Nights at the Meydan outdoor amphitheatre deep in the Dubai desert.
They were feted with an Arabian horse display, camel parade and a sweet little white donkey accompanied by his friends--the sheep.
Human entertainment included traditional male group dances and artistic groups of women dancers, swirling belly dancers and two costume horses dancing to drums and an attractive woman with a whip.
Arab art and products were on display and for sale. Traditional skin painting was one of the most popular treats of the event with lovely patterns to realistic scorpions.
Food and drink with hookahs were bountiful on the carpeted tiers of the deep theatre and the evening ended with a spectacular fireworks display only to be outdone at the Dubai World Cup itself.
If the racing, spectacular dancers and singers, Arab horse parade and fireworks are not enough, the evening ends with Elton John and Carlos Santana performing until 1 AM
Racing International http://www.racingint.com/
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 3/26/2010 8:26 PM 
Categories: Dubai World Cup 2010
Tags: Frank Gabriel Racing International Ruler of Dubai Meydan Racecourse Sheikh Mohammed Dubai World Cup Rachel Alexandra Dubai Racing Club
Categories: Dubai World Cup 2010
Tags: Frank Gabriel Racing International Ruler of Dubai Meydan Racecourse Sheikh Mohammed Dubai World Cup Rachel Alexandra Dubai Racing Club
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