New era beckons for Gulf racing

Dubai - The initial set of talks will take place between the Dubai Racing Club, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain's Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club

Racing clubs in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will schedule talks in the coming months to discuss close coordination regarding equine quarantine and ease of travel, race scheduling and exchange of knowledge and information among owners and breeders in the three countries.

The talks between racing leaders in the three Gulf countries seek to promote a more coordinated approach to the sport in the region, which will benefit all parties and eventually expand to include other countries in the wider GCC region.

Prominent players in international racing landscape, the three countries organise events that are major draws in the global equestrian calendar.

The UAE’s well-established Dubai World Cup Carnival season and Dubai World Cup race day are held in the period between January and March while the Saudi Cup is held at the end of February and the Bahrain International Trophy in November.

The initial set of talks will take place between the UAE’s Dubai Racing Club, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain’s Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club.

Expressing his optimism about the cooperation, Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club, said: “By working together, we can open up new horizons for horse racing in the region, utilising widespread regional experiences in organising major international events.

“This will contribute to delivering the aspirations and desires of all involved parties within the racing industry, including owners, jockeys and trainers, creating a new roadmap to overcoming obstacles and facilitating progress.

The Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club pointed out that this ancient sport occupies a special place in the hearts of the people of the Gulf region.

“This is a welcome step that will be promoted globally through the international races hosted by the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bahrain and will continue to fuel the rapid growth we have seen in the industry at a regional level,” he said.