It is a pleasure to watch racing in Dubai, says Longines

Dubai is renowned for being one of the most luxurious places in the Middle East and it is no surprise to see glamorous brands like Swiss watchmaker Longines increase their presence in the city.The company has sponsored a number of high-profile events at the famous Meydan Racecourse and it is endorsing a six-card meeting at the complex tomorrow (February 2nd).Longines has already given its backing to one major event at the course this season - the high-profile opening of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on January 10th - and bosses at the firm are keen to see even more thrilling action.President of the organisation Walter von Kanel said he is looking forward to returning to the venue."It is always a pleasure to witness great moments of racing at Meydan Racecourse," he remarked.Longines will also have a sizeable presence at the Dubai World Cup, which will be held on March 30th.It will present the highly anticipated Group 1 US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic race during the richest horseracing meeting in the world.Board member of the Meydan Group and chairman of the Racing Committee Malih Al Basti said Longines is playing a crucial role in the development of sport in Dubai."Longines is a major name in horse sport worldwide and we are delighted to host them at Meydan Racecourse once again," he commented.Such is the wide appeal of horseracing in the UAE, major organisations are falling over themselves in the rush to sponsor the most lucrative races.State-owned DUBAL is another company that has cemented a strong partnership with Medan Racecourse.It sponsored a meeting held at the venue last night and will also present races at the 11-day Dubai World Cup Carnival.Vice president of corporate relations and international affairs at the firm Khalid Buhumaid said the enterprise has been proud to associate itself with the prestigious festival of racing for the past seven years.