A UAE-based property developer has reinforced its commitment to Dubai’s premier racing season by sponsoring all eight races at the seventh meeting of the Dubai Racing Carnival, held at Meydan Racecourse on 16th January.
Azizi Developments backed the Friday night card, which featured the Grade 2 Cape Verdi as its centrepiece – one of the season’s most significant contests for fillies and mares. The sponsorship marks another chapter in what has become a nine-year collaboration between the developer and the Dubai Racing Club.
The evening’s racing programme showcased a diverse range of contests. Alongside the Cape Verdi, which was won last year by Choisya, the card included the Vazirabad Handicap – a gruelling 2,410-metre test named after the three-time Grade 2 Dubai Gold Cup champion. Meanwhile, on the dirt surface, three-year-old fillies competed over 1,600 metres in the Cocoa Beach Stakes, adding further variety to the night’s entertainment.
For Azizi Developments, the partnership carries particular resonance given the company’s substantial footprint in MBR City, where it is constructing a significant master-planned community in the Meydan area. The geographical connection between the developer’s projects and the racecourse venue adds another dimension to what has become an enduring sporting alliance.
Mr. Farhad Azizi, Group CEO of Azizi Group, emphasised the cultural importance of the sponsorship. “Our continued support of the Dubai Racing Carnival reflects our long-standing partnership with the Dubai Racing Club and our respect for a sport that holds deep cultural significance in the UAE. Equestrian excellence is an integral part of the nation’s heritage, and this platform brings together communities, athletes, and audiences from around the world. Through our involvement, we are proud to contribute to an event that reinforces Dubai’s position as a global hub for sport, culture, and world-class experiences.”
The Dubai Racing Club’s leadership welcomed the developer’s ongoing support. His Excellency Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Racing Club, noted the strength of the relationship. “We looked forward to welcoming the Azizi team back to Meydan Racecourse on Friday for an exciting evening of racing, headlined by the G2 Cape Verdi – one of our most significant races for fillies and mares.”
His Excellency added: “Azizi have been important partners with Dubai Racing Club for several seasons, also sponsoring the G1 Azizi Developments Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai World Cup meeting. We thank them once again for their support.”
The developer’s involvement in equestrian sport aligns with its broader strategy in the Meydan district. Riviera, one of Azizi’s flagship developments, sits in close proximity to both Meydan Racecourse – home of the prestigious Dubai World Cup – and the forthcoming Meydan One Mall. This waterfront destination comprises 75 mid-rise and high-rise buildings housing approximately 16,000 residential units.
Drawing inspiration from French-Mediterranean aesthetics, Riviera has been conceived as more than simply residential accommodation. The development embodies the concept of ‘joie de vivre’, incorporating both living spaces and commercial elements across three distinct districts. These include an extensive retail boulevard, a lagoon walk featuring artisan eateries and boutiques along the shores of a 2.7-kilometre swimmable crystal lagoon, and Les Jardins – a sprawling green social area.
The strategic positioning near key Dubai landmarks and infrastructure makes Riviera one of the company’s most sought-after projects. It forms part of a broader portfolio that has seen Azizi deliver more than 45,000 homes to investors and residents representing over 100 nationalities.
Currently, the developer has approximately 150,000 units under construction, valued at tens of billions of US dollars. The company’s portfolio spans multiple Dubai locations including MBR City, Palm Jumeirah, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Healthcare City, Al Jaddaf, Dubai South, Dubailand, Al Furjan, Dubai Islands, Studio City, Sports City and Downtown Jebel Ali. Among its projects is Burj Azizi, set to become the world’s second tallest skyscraper, alongside master-planned communities such as Azizi Venice and Azizi Milan.
The Dubai Racing Carnival continues to attract international attention as it builds towards the season’s climax. The Dubai World Cup, scheduled for Saturday, 28th March 2026, represents the pinnacle of the racing calendar with total prize money of US$30.5 million across nine races. The title contest alone carries US$12 million in prize money.
Since its formation in 1992, when the first races under rules were contested at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, the Dubai Racing Club has grown to organise racing from November through April each season. Meydan Racecourse, the world’s largest integrated horseracing facility, features a grandstand half a mile in length with capacity for more than 60,000 spectators, serving as both a sporting venue and a cornerstone of Dubai’s social calendar.