The Palm to set hearts racing at Dubai World Cup 2004

Race Four - The Dubai Sheema Classic, which is run over 2400 metres, will be sponsored by The Palm with a prize purse ringing in at a massive two million US dollars.

"The Dubai World Cup is a momentous event in Dubai's annual sporting calendar and we are proud to be playing a key part in it for the first time", said Wahid Attalla, Director of Operations for Nakheel. "Horse racing is part of Dubai's heritage and The Palm is always keen to nurture this heritage wherever possible".

Similarly to the Dubai World Cup, The Palm, Dubai is now being recognized across all corners of the globe. The magnificent offshore island development is yet another extraordinary Dubai vision coming to life.

Attalla continued, "This event attracts a large number of international entries and spectators to Dubai, similarly The Palm will attract a significant number of international visitors and it is through events and projects like these that Dubai has the opportunity to showcase the incredible progress we have made in terms of sporting events, tourism, commerce, communications and more".

Located just off the coast of Dubai, the two palm tree shaped islands - The Palm, Jumeirah and The Palm, Jebel Ali - are expected to contribute to the city's position as a premier global tourist destination. The project will increase Dubai's shoreline by a total of 120km and create a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment opportunities, all within a unique and inspiring setting.

Construction of The Palm commenced in June 2001 and each island will take approximately two years to be completely raised from the sea. A further two to three years will be required to complete the infrastructure and the buildings. The end-result will be the creation of two virtually self-contained communities within the islands.

The Dubai Sheema Classic sponsored by The Palm is a grade one race open to 4-year old horses and will be run on turf. The Dubai World Cup is the world's richest horse race.

The Palm's sponsorship of this event is part of Nakheel's wider sponsorship strategy that incorporates supporting a variety of UAE events on a sporting, cultural and commercial level.