The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia is to host its second international-listed race for purebred Arabians this weekend — the $266,667 (SR1 million) King Faisal Cup.
The new race, held over 1,600m in Taif, stands alongside the JCSA’s other listed contest, the $2 million 2,000m Obaiya Arabian Classic, run on Saudi Cup day in Riyadh, as a major target for the country’s top purebred Arabians.
Staged at King Khalid Racecourse at the JCSA’s summer headquarters 800km north of Riyadh, the King Faisal Cup will be held on Sept. 10, the final Friday of the summer racing season. It is open to three-year-old colts and fillies.
Also listed are three new thoroughbred contests including the $133,333 Okaz Open Cup held over 2,000m, and two SR300,000 Taif Cup races over a mile for three-year-old colts and fillies respectively. Earlier cards during the Taif season had seen big-money races for juveniles held over 1,400m, as well as a program of races for apprentice jockeys.
King Khalid Racecourse is a 1,600m oval dirt track used as a summer base for Saudi Arabia’s racing industry. The venue recently benefitted from the addition of a 1,600m chute and is the focus of several redevelopments, including additional stables and facilities.
With its commitment to attain Part II status in the IFHA country ranking, the JCSA has implemented a new-look racing calendar in Taif for the 2021 season. This has led to the addition of more race categories — allowing trainers to prepare horses for the Riyadh season, which begins on Oct. 6 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, home of the $20 million Saudi Cup.
“We are all very much looking forward to the inaugural running of the King Faisal Cup for purebred Arabians on Friday,” said Salem Binmafhooz, director of racing at the JCSA. “We held a prep race two weekends ago, which was won in good style by the Haddy Hamad Al-Marzoq-owned Nabil Al Khalediah II for trainer Hamad Al-Rasheed.”
“This race, as well as other additions to the summer racing calendar, are designed to complement the Riyadh season, allowing trainers to get more races into different categories of horses that may not get as many opportunities in the capital,” he said.
“We are always looking for ways to innovate and enhance the sport in the Kingdom and are very fortunate that in Saudi Arabia we can race all year round thanks to the climate in our northern regions.”
