It seemed as if Dubai had reached its zenith when the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa was unveiled earlier in the year.

But Saturday proved us wrong when the gates of the mammoth Meydan racecourse were thrown open to host the 2010 Dubai World Cup. Horse racing enthusiasts, music aficionados and perfectly groomed fashionistas turned up to soak up the adrenaline-charged atmosphere. Naturally, my expectations were sky-high, since it was the first time that Meydan was playing host.

But experience has taught me that all big things come with some stressful baggage. For instance, the bigger the mall — the tougher it gets to spot your favourite store.

But Meydan — though it resembles a mall — does not fall into that trap. After some brisk checking by the security guards at the entrance, the doors opened to an indoor air-conditioned area lined with escalators. While the floor-to-ceiling glass doors gave you a perfect view of the outdoor Grandstand area and the Apron Views (the section where the Style Stakes competition was held), the expansive foyer proved to be a welcome respite for all those attempting to escape the sweltering heat.

Smooth

So naturally, dozens of well-groomed fashionistas sought solace here. As Dubai World Cup regular Dora Samoodi put it, the new venue gave people the option of staying indoors and catching every bit of the action. "In the past, we had to wait outside in long queues before entering the venue. But this time, everything went smooth.

"This is way better than Nad Al Sheba," Samoodi said.

Dressed in a navy polka-dot number from Abercrombie & Fitch, Samoodi was equally thrilled at being given a no-frills hand-fan from one of the World Cup's key sponsors.

So far so good. But the public food courts on the bottom floor were a misfit. Somehow the sight of dainty women in prim dresses biting into a meaty shawarma or polishing off a pizza was a tad awkward.

"This is the biggest social event of the year and is very glamorous," Emma Haines said. "So why have a food court in such a fashion? For a moment I forgot about the races and felt I was in one of the shopping malls here."

But the men found it right up their alley. "We did not have to go hunting for food. It was all right here at the food court. There was a lot of variety too," said Jeff Wilkins.

Fashion also saw a major upgrade this year. It was not just about donning the boldest, the brightest and the biggest hats. Fascinators with a twist were at the order of the day. High-street fashion labels and couture giants also rubbed shoulders effortlessly.

Unlike last year, there was no light rain to ruin make-up or cause heels to get stuck in the wet grass. All you needed to do was make peace with the blazing sun.

"During Formula 1 in Bahrain, there were these fountains which sprayed cool water all around. It did not ruin our make-up or anything, but it felt much cooler. I think they should get some of them installed here," Haines suggested.

But at sundown, all was forgotten as the horses and the fashionable guests made a bid for some hefty prize money. On the one hand you had world- class jockeys spurring their horses to the finish line, on the other there were well-groomed women who put their best foot forward to win the coveted Style Stakes competition.

"I love the races, because both men and women can enjoy the afternoon.

"Watching the thoroughbreds in action is one thing and watching all these beautiful women turn up in hats is also great," said Nathan Daniel.

The spectacular sporting evening also added another feather to its cap by rounding it off with a concert by music stalwarts Elton John and Carlos Santana.

"This is a perfect sizzler of sports, music and fashion," Melanie Lee said.