10 June 2008
In 1922 the Monza Grand Prix circuit was built and it instantly made the small Italian city of Monza famous worldwide. The same may happen 88 years later in 2010 with Meydan Racecourse – Dubai’s iconic and landmark new development featuring a state of the art dirt and turf track, and a world class grandstand with a capacity of 80,000.
Despite a different century, and type of horsepower, considerable parallels may be drawn between Monza and Meydan. The Monza circuit was built by a workforce of 3,500 in a record-breaking 110 days. The track was inaugurated on 3 September, 1922, and the first Italian GP took place that same day (to the delight of the home crowd, Italy’s Pietro Bordino drove a Fiat 501 to victory). Today, every September, up to 200,000 F1 fans flock to Parco di Monza to see the GP, although the circuit can only accommodate 135,000 spectators.
Construction work at the site of the futuristic Meydan Racecourse started in March 2007 and is currently meeting all targets in its ambitious aim to be ready for use for the first time just 32 months later in November 2009, before its gala opening on Dubai World Cup night in March 2010. Currently, a team of 4,000 workers are working around the clock to complete the Dubai project with 7,000 workers eventually expected to ensure the venue opens on time.
Meydan Racecourse, which has an estimated initial construction cost of US$2.5 billion, will be a stone’s throw from the current Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and will include a five star hotel, more than ten restaurants, the offices of the Dubai Racing Club, a state of the art racing museum, as well as covered parking for approximately 10,000 cars.
Returning to Monza, its racing venue does not lie idle once the Italian GP is over. Major automobile and motorbike competitions are also held throughout the year to ensure a thriving community. A competition of a different kind gets under way every spring when 20,000 runners circumnavigate the circuit. At other times, cyclists or skaters try out their speeding skills.
This is where the parallels end as the word Meydan means meeting place and as well as the Racecourse, the site is intended to become a ‘city within a city’ as it will also include the construction and development of Meydan City. Consisting of commercial and residential plots, retail outlets and arcades with canal, waterfront and promenade views, The City will support a thriving community. Not satisfied with the galactic Racecourse and Meydan City, a further 2.9 million square feet Business Park is to be built too, plus the Meydan Marina with a four km canal running from Dubai Creek and a Championship golf complex to complete the package.
The Milan born, three-time Dubai World Cup-winning jockey – Frankie Dettori – is based in Dubai for three months each year in the build-up to the annual Dubai World Cup and rides for the “Ferrari team of horse-riding”, Godolphin, the racing operation owned and run by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. “Godolphin is a Dubai operation so this is our hometown, it carries a lot of pressure; we have to deliver in the Dubai World Cup” said Dettori pre race.
Staged on 29 March, 2008, the Dubai World Cup meeting comprised seven races, each with heavyweight Dubai-based sponsors including property giants Nakheel and Emaar, helping provide the finances to offer a staggering $21.25 million in prize money. With a purse of US$6 million to the winner of the 13th running of the Emirates Airline-sponsored Dubai World Cup, the American horse – Curlin – romped home to collect the coveted title of Dubai World Cup winner (and the cash) leaving Dettori trailing at the back of the grid much to the disappointment of the Dubai-home team.
To boost its international coverage, Channel 4 secured a two-year (2008 & 2009) exclusive terrestrial rights deal to broadcast live coverage from the Dubai World Cup meeting. Channel 4 scheduled a dedicated 30-minute programme, which was live from 17.15hrs – 17.45hrs. The show was broadcast to include a travel / entertainment / sporting style making it accessible and relevant to the new 5 o’clock audience.
Andrew Thompson, Channel 4’s Head of Sport, commented: “I am delighted that the Dubai World Cup has returned to its original UK terrestrial provider. As racing’s principal terrestrial broadcaster, the World Cup has rapidly grown to be a must show event. It is a spectacular contest and a real treat for racing fans.”
The Dubai World Cup is firmly established as the most international race meeting in the world featuring seven spectacular races and attracting the very best Thoroughbreds and Arabians from the Middle East, North and South America, Europe, Australasia and the Far East. Like Monza, Meydan Racecourse is set to change the Dubai and arguably, the global racing landscape, with the world’s top thoroughbred racing teams aiming for the ultimate podium finish. With it, further new sporting and commercial sponsorship records are sure to follow.
• Revolution has an international network of affiliate offices, including in Dubai, to service its growing UAE client base including ABN AMRO and Jumeirah Group. www.revolutionsports.co.uk. Revolution: 01903 883747
Merrick Haydon, Revolution Sports Marketing Group