UAE President Cup showcases Abu Dhabi’s global growth

Excitement filled the air as the Abu Dhabi Turf Club held the draw on December 4 for the prestigious 33rd UAE President Cup, which will be held on December 6 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Participants in the trek were accommodated in the beautiful Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Horsemen’s Lounge, a newly opened facility touted for its globally unique architecture and guest experience. A orchestra played for guests in the arena while guests in the lounge made their own hats for Saturday’s race while sampling local food and drinks.

All this that accompanied the drawing of the starting positions for the world’s premier race for Arabian purebreds, and the continued upgrades to the facility, is an example of the commitment the ADTC has made to become a world-class racing facility with racing at the highest level – for both Arabian purebreds and Thoroughbreds.

His Excellency Ing. Ali Al Shaiba, Director General of ADEC and ADTC, called the new ADEC facility “the first step in the master plan” to enhance the track’s reputation as a world-renowned sports and equestrian venue. Major renovations in 2023 added a 10,000-seat grandstand, exclusive VIP suites and a first-class catering garden. Located in the heart of the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the course also features a nine-hole golf course and a country club.

“We are offering a different jumping experience for the guests and the public,” Shaiba said of the new AEDC facility. “This was the first thing we did, and we will continue this into racing. What we can promise today is that we are going to change the way people will experience horse racing on a global scale. … What will be developed is a twist on horse racing from an experiential perspective, from a spectator perspective. That will have a positive impact on the industry and the development of the entire ecosystem.”

Established in 1976 as a riding school by the late President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, racing at the facility began in the 1980s and open racing began in 1991. The track debuted the UAE President Cup in 1994.

Saturday will be the richest day of the ADTC season, with AED 8 million (approximately US$2,178,056, AED1 = US$0.27) at stake. One race ahead of the featured Arabian Group 1 is a 7-furlong event for thoroughbreds, the HH The President Cup, worth AED 1 million ($272,257).

Horses are deeply rooted in Arabian culture and racing purebred Arabian horses has been a distinctive feature of the Arabian sporting calendar for decades. However, the success of the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Saudi Cup (G1) festivals have helped thoroughbred racing – which owes its own heritage to Arabian horses – take on a prominent and growing relevance in the region, and one that the ADTC is now focused on helping to bring to the world stage.

“The (ADTC) has a rich history of purebred Arabians, but we understood that we wanted to provide the opportunity for thoroughbred racing here in Abu Dhabi,” ADTC racecourse director Dayle Brown said at the December 1 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast. “We want to develop the thoroughbred offering while improving the fitness book.”

Demonstrating their commitment to raising their Thoroughbred profile, the ADTC will host the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup over 1,600 meters (approximately 1 mile) on February 7. Saturday’s HH The President Cup serves as a stepping stone to the new $1 million event. The race is scheduled three weeks before Meydan’s “Super Saturday” card, which acts as a prelude to the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

“It will complement the World Cup in Dubai and the carnival that will be held during that period,” Brown said. “We believe we will attract the best Thoroughbreds here to the Abu Dhabi Turf Club to race in the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup. It really puts itself on the international map as a destination for Thoroughbred racing.”

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The response to the new race in February was palpable in the entry box for the HH The President Cup, with 22 runners and four reserves registered for Saturday’s race. among the participants Danja winner of the 2023 Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) on Dubai World Cup night.

The international appeal is only likely to grow stronger as the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup matures. Brown said ADTC is working with Churchill Downs to provide the winner of the 2026 Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) on Kentucky Derby Day May 2 with an automatic invitation to the 2027 Abu Dhabi Gold Cup.

“We are really looking forward to growing that relationship and strengthening our ties with the US and many racing jurisdictions within the US to compete in international thoroughbred racing here in the UAE and Abu Dhabi,” Brown said.

Churchill Downs recently showed its support for the growth of the Middle East by expanding the Kentucky Derby International Qualifying Series to include more races in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

READ: Three races added to the European/Middle East Derby Series

That recognition is the reward for an improving racing product as the UAE and its nearest racing countries – Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait – begin working together to keep top runners local throughout their seasons before and after international events.

“If the region functions effectively as a whole group, you tend to have the better thoroughbreds campaigning here,” Brown said. “This is a growing region. While many jurisdictions struggle with the relevance of horse racing, it is growing rapidly in this region.

“The region understands that it is an area where we can hold some of the big events, and we want world-class events here. It fits with Abu Dhabi’s vision and strategic plan to develop world-class events, especially for Thoroughbreds.”

This creates the perfect mix for Abu Dhabi: top-class Arabian purebreds creating championship race days that can attract top riders to bring their Thoroughbreds, and the Thoroughbreds providing international marketing appeal to draw attention to the Arabian races on the schedule.

“One of the most important sports in the UAE today is equestrian,” Shaiba said. “Today we look at this place as a platform to gain media attention, to send the message to everyone worldwide about our culture, our heritage and how equestrianism and horses were part of building our nation.”

His Excellency Faisal Al Rahmani, President of the International Federation of Arab Horse Racing Authorities, praised the work of the media team involved in The President Cup, which has seen the 17-race global series – which culminates in the championship race on Saturday – amass more than half a billion views on social media platforms this year.

“Horses are becoming a symbol for the Arab people that they cannot undo,” he said. “It’s very important that they continue.”

Shaiba sees the improvements to the facilities and racing product as an opportunity to not only showcase horse racing, but also as a bridge for people around the world to be welcomed and learn more about their culture.

“Horses have always been a way of life for us. It’s a symbol of pride,” he said. “(We want to show) how we welcome people here, the hospitality of Abu Dhabi and the Arabs, and how today we also want to have things in common, share knowledge. Ultimately, it is part of our cultural prominence.”

One American owner who has joined racing in the UAE is Deborah Mihaloff of Cre Run Farm. A Virginia-based breeder of purebred Arabians who also purchased and raced Thoroughbreds with her late husband, Alan Kirshner, Mihaloff has one of the horses in the Arabian UAE President Cup, First Classs, the Emirates Racing Authority’s Purebred Arabian Horse of the Year 2024-25. Mihaloff brought several guests to the race this year, all experiencing the event and Abu Dhabi for the first time.

“I think what they’ve done is remarkable,” Mihaloff said. “The culture and heritage of this country is the Arabian horse, and that is why they are trying to promote it on a global scale. Everyone has a dream, and that is to win the big race. When you have the opportunity to win a cash prize of $2.1 million, you are crazy not to want to be involved in that if you love horses.”

Mihaloff’s racing manager, Amanda Roxborough, started her career in thoroughbreds in the Middle East and has seen the region’s racing product grow over the past 30 years.

“For people who are in thoroughbreds, I think it’s really important that people include their selection,” Roxborough said. “Having a satellite stable here with the money and the structure, it’s really good for any horse of any condition.”

From November to April, racing in the Middle East shines due to the strong competition and high market value. In the UAE, five race tracks offer unique racing opportunities for horses through different designs and surfaces.

Mihaloff noted that competition among countries in the region – in terms of offering the highest purses – has made it a lucrative arena for owners. Roxborough said they raced two horses in the Middle East last year and made $802,000.

“I think more Americans should do it. It’s a good business decision,” Roxborough said. “We are treated very well here. It is a very safe country, it is a beautiful thing to do. They treat the owners with great respect.”

“I like coming here,” Milhaloff said. “I really feel like this is a magical country. We have to respect it and respect their heritage and culture; maybe we can understand it a little better.”