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The camels at the start line growl and grunt before the gate goes up, then stretch out their long necks and gallop along the sandy track. “Yah! Yah! Yah!” shouts one camel owner from a car parked alongside the racetrack, banging on the car door to urge on animal and jockey alike. Welcome to the event that has been dubbed the Grand Prix of camel racing in Taif, south-western Saudi Arabia, where camels race some 250 laps for prizes worth $13 million. This camel festival, held in honour of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is now in its sixth year and is on par with the richest horse races worldw…

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