Meydan Racecourse group strike deal with China to develop Chengdu's racing programme

Meydan officials will work with the Chinese city of Chengdu and its Wenjiang district on staging a race meet later this year.

On the strength of events such as the Dubai World Cup night, above, the Meydan Group has signed an agreement to help develop China's Chengdu as a horse racing destination.

DUBAI // Meydan officials announced a partnership on Thursday with the Chinese city of Chengdu and its Wenjiang district for the staging of a race meeting later this year.

Saeed Al Tayer, the chairman of Meydan Group, said the partnership is part of a plan to develop Chengdu as an international centre for horse racing.

Chengdu, one of the fastest-growing cities in China, served as host of the China Equestrian Festival in 2011 and 2012.

"We are able to see our own experience of staging the Dubai World Cup 18 years ago," Al Tayer said. "We are very excited and looking forward to this exciting partnership and to share our knowledge, experience and the connections to make Chengdu another exciting international venue for horse racing."

The Meydan racing programme to be hosted in Wenjiang is tentatively scheduled for October 2013, with an undetermined number of races to be offered.

The programme will be an international day of racing featuring horses and horsemen that frequent the Meydan racing season.

Frank Gabriel, the chief executive officer of Dubai Racing Club, said that project is at a very early stage.

"We are working with the protocols between the governments on the development to get moving forward, and the ultimate aim is to have an international meeting like the [Dubai]World Cup," he said.

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