Race enthusiasts arrive for the races of the DubaiWorld Cup at the Meydan Racecourse.
Dubai: Rainy skies failed to put a damper on the 22nd Dubai World Cup on Saturday afternoon at Meydan. Brightly dressed fashion-lovers walked through the drizzle into the world’s richest race meeting with their fascinators and hats secured tightly on their heads.
“When I woke up this morning, I thought ‘Rain? Again? It’s been raining every day since I got here’,” said a cheerful Grace Magela, 40, a UK-based insurance and risk manager who was dressed in different shades of pink. “It felt like I brought England’s weather with me.”
It’s Magela’s first time at the races, and she was amazed by the space provided by Meydan. She was also happy to see that the fashion choices weren’t too over-the-top. She matched her hot pink Debenhams headpiece, patterned Coast dress and ASOS shoes to her melon-coloured Michael Kors bag.
Sue Hamilton and her husband Brett looked dashing in matching black-and-orange ensembles. It was their second time at the races. “I bought my dress on sale from the Outlet Mall. I don’t remember the store, I took the tag off,” said Sue, who is a stay-at-home mom.
Meanwhile, it was Katharina Dietrich’s 10th time at the races. The 59-year-old German architect made her outfit herself. “I love flowers and I love horses,” she said of her black, pink and white nature-inspired ensemble.
Amber Dann, 28, took a two-week break from studying law in the UK to visit Dubai. She matched her champagne Valentino handbag and shoes to an understated headpiece made for her in a pinch at Oasis Fashion in Wafi Mall. Her husband was dreading the trek through the rain in the morning, but she was ready to go. “It always rains in the UK. It’s our first time in Dubai,” she said.
Svitlana Yelfimova, who is from the Ukraine but lives in Ajman, has been coming to the full-season races since 2002. She said “every time it changes,” when asked why she keeps coming back.
The 36-year-old was wearing a black-and-red hijab and a floor-length maroon dress. It was her first time participating in the fashion competition, Meydan Style Stakes.
Erina Kuznetsva, 28, is a Russian fashion designer who has been living in Dubai for two years. She made her outfit by hand in three days. “I went elegant and classy with feathers and pink,” she said.
Fiona Jackson, 45, also made her outfit herself over the span of one month, using fabric from the Souk in Bur Dubai. The mint and flossy pink outfit was inspired by candy. “It’s good, because the weather is so gloomy,” she said.
Some visitors in taxis, and cars without specified stickers, were re-directed to a public parking area for further transport upon arrival. A row of yellow school buses drove attendees through the downpour and thick sludge, but that didn’t keep people from soaking in the atmosphere and posing for photos as they waited for the races to commence.
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