New Dubai track installs Tapeta

Meydan, the new racing facility under development in Dubai, has finished the installation of an artificial surface manufactured by Tapeta Footings on its 1 1/8-mile main track, the track announced on Thursday.

The sprawling racing facility, which also includes six restaurants, a marina, and an IMAX theater, is scheduled to open for its first live race card on Jan. 28. The racetrack will also host the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 27, the world's richest race.

The 2010 running will be the first Dubai World Cup run on an artificial surface. It was previously run on dirt.

The Tapeta artificial racing surface, which had already been installed at a training track at Meydan, is manufactured by a company owned by the former trainer Michael Dickinson. In addition to a number of training tracks, Tapeta has been installed at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California and Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa.