Dubai: Dubai Racing Club CEO Frank Gabriel Jr has praised the teamwork involved in presenting another memorable Dubai World Cup Night on Saturday.
"The last year was the first time that we had racing at the Meydan and yet we managed to deliver on a wonderful night of racing. This year we planned a little bit more and got better than what we achieved last year," Frank Gabriel, Jr., CEO, Dubai Racing Club, told Gulf News after a successful second running at the all-weather Tapeta track at Meydan on Saturday night.
"It's all about setting standards and objectives and then going about achieving these as a team. And I think we fared much better this year than last. There were things that we got ahead of this time and I think all the people had the best time out here at Meydan," Gabriel added.
"And to cap it all it was just a great World Cup victory for the Japanese who finished first and second."
Gabriel was appointed chief executive officer of the Dubai Racing Club in 2005. Coming in with more than 30 years experience in the racing industry — the last 16 years being spent at Arlington Park as executive vice-president of racing and racing secretary. Gabriel is targeting an even better performance.
"Absolutely it can only get better. This is always what we have in mind. We do our best and strive to achieve the results that we seek to pursue. Every time we produce the World Cup but tonight is a great night for the horsemen, the media, the public and all the employees of Meydan," he noted.
"I think everyone had Japan at the back of their minds, especially after what they've been through in recent times. It was a just reward for them."
Record attendance
Meanwhile, Meydan announced unprecedented record-breaking attendance numbers at the event.
As many as 81,164 guests thronged the Meydan Grandstand, eager to catch a glimpse of world-class racing, VIPs, celebrities and to enjoy a day filled with fashion, food, music and entertainment as the festivities lasted well past 2am.
Event highlights included nine mobile stages featuring over 150 performers, aerialists, a theatrical and fireworks spectacular and a world's first with three 100-tonne megastructures featuring the three bloodlines of the Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian, and Byerly Turk.
