'I'm falling in love with the sport' - meet the first female Emirati judge primed for World Cup night

History will be made in the judging box at Meydan on Saturday when a local woman will help confirm the finishers in the Dubai World Cup for the first time.
Safeyah Aldhanhani is from Fujairah in the UAE and joined Emirates Racing Club in 2021 after studying for a degree in applied linguistics. She entered the role without a background in horseracing but has quickly established herself as a trailblazer for women in the UAE.
Speaking two days out from the meeting on Thursday, she said: "I was applying for jobs randomly and I suddenly got a call saying 'do you want to work for us?' and I said 'okay, let's have an interview'.
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