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The Dubai skyline in silhouette at sunset, seen across open ground.

Horse Racing

Dubai World Cup

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai · March · Subject to availability

Late March — dates to be confirmed

The richest race meeting in the world, run under floodlights at Meydan at the close of the Gulf season.

Meydan holds a single evening card of extraordinary prize money, run under lights, with fields drawn from Japan, America, Europe and the Gulf. The racing is genuinely international and the standard is high, but the meeting also functions as the formal close of the Dubai season, and the week around it carries a programme of private gatherings across the emirate. The climate is at its best in late March, before the heat arrives, and the desert, the coast and the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah are all within reach for the days either side. Dubai is also among the easiest events on this calendar to arrange, with excellent aviation infrastructure and hotel capacity that absorbs the meeting without strain.

Month
March
Recommended stay
3 nights
Nearest airports
DWC · DXB
Typical clientele
Gulf, European and Japanese racing principals, bloodstock owners and agents, regional business figures, and international families based in or transiting the Emirates.

Why it matters

The meeting brings the international racing establishment to the Gulf at the point in the year when the region's own season concludes, which makes it an unusually efficient gathering for anyone with interests spanning both. The infrastructure is exceptional and the week is straightforward to attend well, which is not true of most fixtures of comparable standing.

How access is arranged

Admission and hospitality are administered by the racecourse and arranged with authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist, by introduction and subject to availability. Scott & Vale coordinates travel, accommodation, movement and dining around the meeting.

Scott & Vale coordinates travel, accommodation, ground and air movement, security, dining and itinerary design around this occasion, and makes introductions to authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist. The firm does not sell, allocate, resell or guarantee admission.

Hospitality and travel

Where to stay

  • Bulgari Resort Dubai
  • One&Only Royal Mirage
  • Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
  • Atlantis The Royal
  • Al Maha Desert Resort

Properties are listed as editorial guidance. Scott & Vale holds no inventory and no claimed relationship with any property named here.

Arrival by air

  • DWC — Al Maktoum International The principal business aviation field for the emirate, with full handling.
  • DXB — Dubai International Twenty minutes from Meydan, with dedicated private terminal facilities.

Helicopter. Rotations across the emirate and to Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah are straightforward and remove the evening congestion around Meydan on race night.

Dining

  • Ossiano
  • Trèsind Studio
  • Il Ristorante Niko Romito
  • Orfali Bros
  • Row on 45

Reservations are requested on a member's behalf, subject to availability.

Suggested itinerary

  1. 01 Day One Arrival and an evening on the coast, with the desert reserve available for those with a spare morning.
  2. 02 Day Two A morning at the Meydan gallops where such access exists, and the afternoon free before the card.
  3. 03 Day Three World Cup night from the early races through to the final event under lights, then dinner.
  4. 04 Day Four Departure, or an onward transfer to Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah for a quieter close.

Scott & Vale support

  • Private Jet
  • Helicopter
  • Luxury Hotels
  • Luxury Chauffeur
  • Corporate Hospitality
  • Restaurant Reservations
  • Personal Concierge
  • Executive Protection

Enquiry

Plan this properly, and plan it early.

An enquiry reaches the team directly with the context of this entry attached. A member of the team will respond within the hour, wherever you are.

Frequently asked

What is the dress requirement?

Formal, with specific requirements published by the racecourse for each enclosure. Respectful dress is expected throughout the venue.

Is the racing internationally competitive?

Yes. Fields are drawn from Japan, the United States, Europe and the Gulf, and the prize money attracts genuine championship horses.

How is the timing of the evening handled?

The card runs into the night. Departure from Meydan is slow immediately after the final race, and a later dinner reservation is the usual arrangement.

What does Scott & Vale arrange?

Travel, accommodation, ground and air movement, dining and the itinerary, with introductions to authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist.

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Direct: info@scottnvale.com

Event names, marks and logos referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners. Scott & Vale is not an official partner, supplier or licensee of any event, organiser or rights holder named here, and no affiliation is implied. Scott & Vale does not sell, allocate, resell or guarantee admission to any event. Travel, accommodation, ground and air movement, security, dining and itinerary design are arranged around these events, and introductions are made to authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist.

Photography: Lehtm25 — Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

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