The US$35million Dubai World Cup fixture, sponsored by Emirates Airline – the world’s richest raceday – has attracted huge global interest, with more than 40 broadcasters primed to bring events from Meydan Racecourse to TV audiences from all around the world this weekend.
Horses from more than a dozen countries will compete in nine top-class races, including six Group 1 contests, on Saturday in Dubai. Meydan and its appointed distribution and production company, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), have signed up a host of leading networks, which will be showing the event live.
Broadcasters in North and South America, plus the Caribbean, include: NBC, TVG (US); CBC, HPI (Canada); ESPN (Latin America, Caribbean) and SportsMax (Caribbean).
Far Eastern networks include: The Green Channel, Fuji TV, Kensai TV (Japan); HKJC TV, TVB, Cable, Now TV (Hong Kong); Sina (China) and STC TV (Singapore).
Africa is served by Super Sport (sub-Saharan Africa) and Tellytrack (South Africa), while Australasia is covered by Racing.com, Sky Thoroughbred Central (Australia) and Trackside (New Zealand).
European broadcasters include: National Sports Channel (Russia); Equidia (France); Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing (UK, Republic of Ireland); Virgin Media 1 (Republic of Ireland); SilkNet (Georgia); Arena Sport (Slovakia and Czech Republic); TVP (Poland); TV Sports (Norway, Sweden, Denmark); and TJK TV (Turkey).
The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region will be served by live coverage from Dubai Racing Channel and Yas TV (UAE).
Sport 24, will show a special two-hour live programme, available on cruise lines and air lines, including title-race sponsor Emirates.
The Dubai World Cup will headline Eurosport’s weekly equestrian magazine programme broadcast in more than 120 territories, while Trans World Sport, the leading global sports magazine programme, will offer the fixture added exposure, as will CNN, which is covering the race for its World Sport programme. ITV will air content from the fixture within its live broadcast on Saturday in the UK, and for the first time, TV Bulgaria will feature the event, as they will be showing a two-hour recording.
RMG, with the support of its technical partner, Timeline TV, aim to deliver one of the most innovative horseracing broadcasts yet, with the help of more than 50 production and support staff at Meydan and 20 camera operators.
Production features include:
- Flyaway production facility producing both track and presentation feeds
- Sony 4300 Super Slow Mo cameras, Augmented Reality Jib and Mini RF Cams in the starting stalls offering super close-ups of jockeys
- HEVC Stalls cameras to provide multiple angles
- Remote hot head cameras employed around the track
- HEGO Touchscreen and Augmented Reality graphics bringing the parade ring studio to life
- Virtual Reality graphics including distance lines, sponsor graphics, virtual finishing line, picture in picture replays and jockey silks
- Steward review system, giving stewards direct control of footage and enabling them to simultaneously view different angles, pause, enlarge footage and compare angles side-by-side
- A site-wide Radio Frequency network to sustain cameras and radio-mics for roving reporters
The presenting and reporting team consists of Nick Luck, Rishi Persad, Angus McNae, Britney Eurton, Andrew LeJeune, Tom Stanley, Scott Hazelton and Sam Quek, who aside from her horse racing passion, is best known for winning Olympic gold for the GB hockey women’s team in 2016.
Created through the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai World Cup fixture is set against one of the most iconic sporting theatres, the state-of-the-art Meydan Racecourse. The architectural masterpiece measures 1.2km in length and can accommodate over 60,000 in its grandstand.