Meydan Racecourse

Meydan Racecourse is a racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The grandstand is a half mile in length, and can accommodate over 60,000 spectators.

Meydan Racecourse

The grandstand at Meydan
Location	Meydan City, Dubai
Coordinates	25°09′22″N 55°18′24″E
Owned by	Dubai Racing Club
Date opened	27 March 2010[1]
Course type	Flat
Notable races	Dubai World Cup
Official website

The Meydan grandstand

A race at Meydan

Meydan had the world's longest television screen

Meydan Grandstand interior

Part of the spectator terrace at Meydan

Meydan opened on 27 March 2010,^[1] replacing Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, which formerly occupied the same site. It includes a horse racing museum, gallery and five-star hotel and nine-hole golf course. When not in use for racing it serves as a business and conference centre. The track's interior was also used as a filming location for the film Star Trek Beyond, depicting the docking bay where the USS Enterprise is moored, including the bar scene during the film's climax which contains a ship construction bay.

On February 16, 2024, Saffie Osborne became the first female jockey to win a race at Meydan, winning the Lord Glitters Handicap.^[2]

The Meydan grandstand

The 7.5 million m² Meydan Racecourse includes Meydan Marina, The Meydan, the world's first five-star trackside hotel with 285 rooms, two race tracks and the Grandstand, which consists of a hotel, restaurants, a racing museum and 72 corporate suites for entertaining throughout the year. It has a 2,400 m left-handed turf race track and a left-handed 8.75-furlong (1,750 m) dirt^[3] course. It operates from November through March and features the Winter Racing Challenge, Dubai International Racing Carnival and the Dubai World Cup Night. The Dubai World Cup is the world's richest race day with over US$26.25 million in prize money.

The Racecourse district occupies 67 million ft² (620 ha); the overall Meydan City development however is 200 million ft² (1,900 ha). The Meydan Racecourse and Meydan City were master planned by Teo A. Khing Design Consultants (TAK).^[4][5][6][7] The Racecourse is divided into four sub-districts: Meydan Racecourse, Meydan Metropolis, Meydan Horizons, and Meydan Godolphin Parks. Meydan is closely affiliated with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Lady Gaga performed there on 10 September 2014 as part of her world tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball, in support of her third studio album ARTPOP. The racecourse has also hosted concerts by Elton John, Santana, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson and Sia.

Major Thoroughbred races

• Dubai World Cup
• Dubai Golden Shaheen
• Dubai Sheema Classic
• Dubai Turf
• Godolphin Mile
• Jebel Hatta
• Al Maktoum Challenge

See also

• Nad Al Sheba Racecourse