Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020
The Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020 is the first edition of the international horse race that is held annually in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was launched at the King Abdulaziz Equestrian Field in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on February 28, 2020. It was considered the most expensive international championship for horse speed races at the time of its establishment, as its total prize money amounted to about SAR110 million. Its races were organized by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA).
Participants in the Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020
The number of contestants in the Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020 amounted to about 140 contestants representing four continents. The race featured the participation of sixty trainers from around the world and 143 horses. The list of participants included racers from Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, France, Canada, Germany, and the United States of America.
The Saudi Cup for Horse Racing aims to raise awareness on horse racing, encourage participation in horse racing, and enable sponsorship for both national and international organizations and companies, ultimately motivating tourism and investment.
Races of the Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020
The Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020 featured eight rounds, in which Saudi Arabia introduced a grass track for the first time in horse racing. The first three rounds took place on grass tracks, while the horses competed in the remaining rounds on sandy tracks.
The first round of the race, named the Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup, targeted imported horses of all grades, aged four years and above. It covered a distance of 2,100 m. The second round covered a distance of 1,351 m, in reference to the Hijri year in which Saudi Arabia was unified. Its prize was awarded by the Saudi Telecom Company (stc). The third round was sponsored by Longines Handy Cup and covered the race's longest distance, which is three thousand m.
The fourth round of the race was dedicated to purebred Arabian horses. It was named Saudi Arabian Horse Festival (Ubayyah), in reference to the name of the mare that the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud rode on the day he entered Riyadh. The horses raced over a distance of two thousand m on a sandy track, while Thoroughbred horses, which are horses of British origin produced in Saudi Arabia, raced in the fifth round, where they competed for the Jockey Club Handy Cup over a distance of 1,800 m.
The winners of the sixth round, covering a distance of 1,600 m, were awarded the Samba Saudi Derby Cup. The seventh round of the race covered a distance of 1,200 m, and culminated with awarding the Saudi Airlines Sprint Cup.
Upon its launch, the eighth round of the Saudi Cup for Horse Racing 2020 was considered the world's most expensive horse race, with a total prize pool of about SAR75 million.
History of horse races in Saudi Arabia
Horse racing in Saudi Arabia officially dates back to more than five decades. They were traditionally held on a two thousand m sand track since the establishment of the Jockey Club in 1965.
King Abdulaziz Equestrian Field
King Abdulaziz Equestrian Field includes two thousand m-long sand tracks, some of which were converted to a 1,800 m-long grass track in 2020. The field features five thousand seats that provide a view of the race track and the finish line. It also encompasses stables, a private training field, screens for displaying the race, a cafe for the stands, where light snacks are provided, and a restaurant with a view overlooking the race track.