Exclusive: Dickinson leads way as Dubai unveils future

But the track – the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed, the racing-mad ruler of Dubai – would not be possible without the foresight, 30 years ago, of a racing genius and eccentric from Yorkshire.

For the Meydan track has been installed with the all-weather Tapeta racing surface pioneered Michael Dickinson – the former trainer whose greatest feat, until now, was training the first five horses home in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Until recently, Dickinson was training at the highest level in the United States where the high fatality rate endured by horses on dirt tracks prompted this racing pioneer to accelerate his revolutionary idea.

And his retirement from training horses has enabled him to transform his Tapeta surface – which offers more protection for horses than traditional dirt surfaces into a global brand.

It's already used by Classic-winning Middleham trainer Mark Johnston to gallop his horses. But it's biggest test – to date – comes with this week's official opening of the Meydan Racecourse, the new home of the world's richest race, the $10m Dubai World Cup, following successful trials last week.

"We have only been in business three years and we have improved each year and Meydan is the best surface we have put down so far," Dickinson told the Yorkshire Post.

"We are very proud to be a part of this magnificent new racecourse, although I have a lot of confidence in the product, we are hoping everything goes well.

"Meydan is our shop window to the world and to think that all my ideas started 30 years ago back in Yorkshire on a farm at Harewood. I have been in America now for 22 years but I am still a Yorkshireman!"

Latin for carpet, Tapeta is intended to be just that – a magic carpet for the world's finest thoroughbred horses.

With built-in drainage and several layers of surface, it's also designed to stop horses coming to grief on a racecourse's concrete base – such as Aidan O'Brien's brilliant George Washington when the 2007 Breeders Cup was staged at a rain-drenched track in Monmouth Park, New Jersey. It was a sickening sight.

For years, Dickinson and his wife Joan Wakefield would scour the world for minerals that could be used. Their kitchen home would regularly be used to study their samples and suitability.

Tellingly, Dickinson, who is 60 next month, is so confident about his surface that he believes it could pave the way for the re-introduction of jump racing in Britain on an all-weather track.

This was discontinued in 1994 after 13 deaths at Lingfield, although the recent freeze and abandonment of so many NH meetings has prompted discussions about its return.

Former champion jockey Richard Dunwoody believes the problems in the past were primarily due to old and average horses, with poor race records, travelling too fast for their own good.

Typically for a man honoured by retired commentator Sir Peter O'Sullevan's charitable trust for his work on equine welfare, Dickinson says safety must come first. However, he's ready for the challenge.

"Most people recognise that all-weather flat racing has been relatively successful. We also know that showjumpers routinely jump huge fences on synthetic surfaces," said Dickinson who is particularly pleased former champion jockey Kieren Fallon believed Tapeta was even better than the highly-praised surface used for last year's Breeders Cup in Santa Anita, California.

"Now we have to ask ourselves: Can we combine the two safely – jumping relatively big fences at speed?

"If Tapeta was asked to do this, we would change our formula from the regular material we produce for flat tracks. We are mindful that most flat trainers want good to firm going while most jump trainers prefer good to soft going.

"As a result we would come up with a slower surface.

"Tapeta could be customised for jump racing but only after thorough research and science. There would need to be effective trials and these trials would require scientific involvement – kinematics, foot instrumentation and biomechanics.

"All this would take time and money.

"With my passion for National Hunt racing, we could make it work."

TAPETA'S BENEFITS . . . . and what the jockeys say

Safer for jockeys and horses with fewer falls.

More forgiving to forelegs.

Better stability for the hind end.

Horses run on 7-inch cushion.

Horses can run more often.

Reduced kickback.

Kieren Fallon

"Different class. The Tapeta is a great surface and it felt beautiful."

Frankie Dettori

"Excellent surface, very safe."

William Buick

"The best synthetic surface I have ever ridden on."

Royston Ffrench

"Perfect. The Tapeta is great. I'm very happy to be riding on it."