From Nad Al Sheba To Meydan: How Dubai Racing Leaped Into Future

At Meydan Racecourse, the thunder of hooves tells an enduring story, one that began long before the majestic grandstand rose above the tracks.

As the Dubai World Cup approaches its 30th running, it marks the culmination of a remarkable journey that traces back decades to Dubai's sandy stretches when horse-riding was little more than a shared passion among Emiratis.

Back when modern racecourses and official rules were still a general idea, Emirati riders tested their skills and horses' speed in informal contests along the Al Mamzar shoreline and across stretches of open desert. These friendly rivalries between fearless young men riding bareback captured the spirit of the Bedouin relationship with the horse. Those humble contests found a home in the city at the old Metropolitan track.

In those early days, the ‘racecourse' was little more than a sandy oval carved from the desert. There were no elaborate facilities, no spectators and no luxury hospitality suites.

On race days, officials famously borrowed weighing scales from Dubai International Airport to ensure jockeys carried the correct weight, a small but telling detail that illustrates how modest the beginnings truly were.

The foundations of modern racing in Dubai were laid in 1981 when the city staged its first organised Thoroughbred race meeting on a former camel race track. Only three races were run that day, but the event planted the seeds for a professional industry.

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