Dubai has a whole horse city for equestrian enthusiasts

Meydan City welcomes the equestrian community with its 528 real estate townhouses, green parks, retail venues and, of course, The Meydan Racecourse arena. 

The concept was envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE (United Arab Emirates) Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. As an equestrian enthusiast himself, he has founded several equestrian events and can be seen racing with his horses. 

However, with Meydan City he wanted to step further and turn Dubai into the capital of horses. The outcome: Meydan City has the biggest hippodrome in the world and a whole new district named Meydan was created to welcome the equestrian community. 

Racing into the district

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City District One is over 45 million square feet, has 7km of lagoons, 1100 acres of freehold and 14km of shoreline for leisure and family gatherings. 

At the heart is Meydan One, the main destination for horse lovers. There is space for 83,000 residents that are supported by a wide range of amenities. Moreover, the iconic 711m tall Dubai One Tower will become the world’s tallest residential tower. 

This all has turned Meydan into one of Dubai’s biggest projects in history. As more developments and opportunities arise, this horse city just keeps growing and expanding in Dubai. 

The hippodrome

With a total expenditure of 2.000 million euros, the hippodrome has become the biggest in the world. Its track is 1.6 kilometres long, and it can gather up to 60.000 people. Moreover, its cantilevered titanium roof blocks the sun to eager spectators who can follow the races live on an LED screen. 

Besides being home to the famous Dubai World Cup, Meydan City is more than a horse racing venue. It also welcomes more equestrian events such as show jumping, endurance or dressage. In 2019 it hosted the Dubai Show Jumping Championship, a CSI5* event at the top category of show jumping competitions worldwide. 

The racecourse is set at the centre of the iconic Meydan Gateway Towers skyscrapers. These enclose a parallel universe that consists of apartments, a luxury hotel, artificial canals and more. The project saw the repercussions of the economic crisis, therefore the working pace slowed down.

The ‘green’ philosophy of Meydan City

Meydan City overflows with green and open spaces, defining this community that wants to focus on outdoor activities at a waterfront location. The exclusive villas resemble the French Riviera and Newport lifestyle, and they can access private pontoons to kayak, swim and boat at their doorstep. 

However, all these green spaces do not mean Meydan City follows a “green”  mentality, as economic factors stand in the epicentre of this district, little sustainable measures have been adopted to reduce the ecological footprint of attendants.