Dubai World Cup 2009

Dubai World Cup is one of the biggest international sport events in the UAE.

This annual horse racing event of course comes with a world record: it is 'the world's richest horse race', with the winner taking home US$ 6 million. The latest took place last weekend, and more or less by accident, I ended up there - braving the occasional rain.

It certainly is a huge thing for people here - drawing a big crowd, generating extensive media coverage and maybe the biggest collection of B 8, C 1 or similar high-ranking number plates of any given event of the season. Of course, Dubai's leader was present as well (third from left in this picture), honoring the winner. In fact, he created the event in 1996 and owns Darley Stud & Godolphin Racing, which has a reputation as one of the world's leading breeding and racing operations. This team produced the largest number of World Cup winners (four) so far.

To me, it seemed there were a lot of British in the area called Apron View - one for general access, which was apparently made to please people from the island (no offense!), coming complete with a so-called "Irish Village" and ample fish & chips supply. And indeed several specimen (joined by any nationality imaginable) behaved just like in their natural habitats - some women wearing extravagant hats, and many appreciating a steady flow of beer and other drinks.


During the day, there were several other races, which kind of built momentum for the big event in the evening. One race was interesting for me in the sense that the winner was determined only by the breadth of a horse hair in a photo-finish - see the 11th photo here.

I have to admit that, in my ignorance, I totally fail to appreciate the beauty and excitement, as well as the achievements and the shared long tradition of this proud sport.

Not being involved emotionally, it's just horses running in a circle for me. And Lucky Luke's Jolly Jumper is about the only horse I ever felt something like sympathy for. Otherwise, these animals are more in the camel category for me: big, hoofed, large-teethed beings I can never quite classify and which I'm usually happy to observe from a distance. From start to finish, the races only take a couple of minutes, and one looks just like the other for my undifferentiating eye. One is on lawn, another one on dirt, and they vary in terms of distance, sponsors, and price money (and probably all sorts of factors which I totally fail to appreciate). And the shouting of the people is always the same, even though the excitement clearly built towards the more important races at the end of the day.

Maybe the biggest attraction about such events is the social aspect: seeing and being seen, and a lot of socializing and networking going on.