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Nothing like a night at the track

A Dubai horse race at Nad Al Sheba.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

A Dubai horse race at Nad Al Sheba. These men are picking their choices for winners and entering a draw that will give the winner 25,000 dirhams.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Sudani men attend a horse race at Nad Al Sheba.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

A man makes his pick to enter a drawing at a Dubai horse race at Nad Al Sheba. The winner gets 25,000 dirhams.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

A Dubai horse race at Nad Al Sheba. These men are picking their choices for winners and entering a draw that will give the winner 25,000 dirhams.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

The audience at the Nad Al Sheba race course.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

The horse race timetable at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Racegoers enter their picks for winners at Nad Al Sheba racecourse in Dubai. The winner gets 25,000 dirhams.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Racegoers stop for prayertime at Nad Al Sheba racecourse.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Sri Lankan women at a Dubai horse race at Nad Al Sheba.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

A horses preparing for a race is taken for a walk at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Race stewards at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Race fans at Nad Al Sheba.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

Hooves of a horse at Nad Al Sheba race course in Dubai.

- Tamara Abdul Hadi

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TEXT OF STORY

KAI RYSSDAL: Dubai's not a sportsman's paradise just yet, but it's trying. You might have heard Andy Roddick won the Tennis Championships here this past weekend. Tiger Woods was in town for the Desert Classic last month. And on the 29th of March the world's richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, is going to be run at the Nad al Sheba racetrack just outside town.

HORSE TRACK ANNOUNCER: Horse number 12 in race 4 is a non runner.

But when the millionaires aren't here the track's a great place for a family night out. No booze, remember, we're in an Islamic country. And no betting. Well, not exactly. There are racing forms.

AHMED: This is a selection for horse...

And there is money to be won.

FORM: This ticket is free if your selection comes first and wait for your name. If it comes in draw then you can be the lucky person.

Lucky to the tune of four or five hundred dirhams, a hundred or two U.S. Maybe a couple thousand dirhams, God willing.

RATTEM: Ya, if we have luck, I win. Maybe "inshallah," I win.

Playing the ponies "inshallah." That is Dubai and that is Marketplace.

About the author

Kai Ryssdal is the host and senior editor of Marketplace, public radio’s program on business and the economy. Follow Kai on Twitter @kairyssdal.