The Dubai World Cup returned to Meydan Racecourse on Saturday for its 30th running, with crowds filing back into the grandstand after regional tension and recent heavy rain across the UAE.
It all felt like a distant memory on a bright afternoon that began with a brass band moving through the concourse, playing jazz standards and a rather robust take of When the Saints Go Marching In.
Near the entrance, Sedra Samer adjusted the brim of her red hat as her twin sister, Nasab Al Jurdy, raised a phone for a quick photo. The pair were part of a group of four friends who had decided to attend earlier in the week.
"We only decided to come two days ago. It was just meant to be a fun day out for all of us," Sedra said.
They had dressed for the occasion. Sedra wore a fitted black dress with a wide-brimmed red hat and pearl jewellery. Nasab chose a sleeveless black dress with a black hat and lace gloves.
"Honestly, with everything going on, there was never a moment where we thought we shouldn't come," Sedra said. "If anything, it felt more important to go out, see each other and just enjoy something together."
Paula, a Filipino national who was working at her second Dubai World Cup, was busy registering participants for the Style Stakes competition while approaching those who had not yet decided to enter.
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Participants at the Style Stakes competition at the Dubai World Cup 2026. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National -
The Style Stakes is held every year alongside the races, with contestants competing in several categories -
Competitions include Best Hat, Best Dressed Couple, Best Dress Lady and Best Dressed Man -
Participants in the Best Dressed Man competition -
The Dubai World Cup Style Stakes is open to all attendees -
Style Stakes participants -
Prizes at the Style Stakes include $150,000 worth of vouchers and 100,000 Skywards miles from Emirates -
Male participants at the Style Stakes -
Best Hat participants -
Winners of the Style Stakes are announced right before the final race at the Dubai World Cup
"It’s the best part of the job," she said. "Sometimes it's the hat straight away. You can spot it from across the space. Other times it’s how everything is put together. People don’t always realise it themselves, but once you speak to them, they usually go for it. They just need that push."
But the Dubai World Cup is not only about fashion and the spectacle. Go down into the public stands and people are working through the races.
At a picnic table overlooking the track, Faizullah sat with his cousins, race cards spread across the surface. One person read out horse names while another checked past results on a phone. They were one of many groups taking part in the Pick competition, marking who they expected to win each of the day’s nine races on the card. There is no wagering involved, but the process carries its own stakes, with accuracy and bragging rights on the line.
"All of us watch previous races online, check the form, see how the horses run. You have to do your homework," Faizullah said.
"It's still for fun. But you want to make the right choices. That's part of the enjoyment."
Near the winner's circle, a series of displays traced the 30-year history of the race, taking it back to Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, where the first edition in 1996 was won by Cigar.
That history is also reflected elsewhere in others parts the grandstand, where a wall listing past winners stretches along the corridor from that first race through to recent editions. At the end, two spaces remain empty, set aside for this year and the next.
By the time the first race began at 3.45pm, people were on their feet along the rail, phones raised and tickets in hand as the field came into view. Faizullah stayed at the table, watching the race unfold on the screen, wincing slightly as the winning horse Faalah came through in a photo finish.
"Not successful this time," he said. "But we keep trying. There's always another race."
