This weekend, the Saudi Cup took place in the King Abdulaziz Racetrack, bringing in the world-best riders to compete for a staggering $20 million (Dh73.4 million) worth of cash prizes. The nine-furlong, 1,800-meter dirt race attracted thousands of spectators, as competitors took to the track to race in what has been named the world’s richest horse race.
The winner, Maximum Security, which is the first horse ever to be disqualified from the first place in the Kentucky Derby for causing interference, won first place, taking home $10 million (Dh36.7 million). Second place took $3.5 million (Dh12.8 million).
An extremely emotional moment of victory at the #SaudiCup for Maximum Security's jockey and team:
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) March 1, 2020
(Video via World Horse Racing) pic.twitter.com/o9Qowq3D3w
According to CNN, HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said the event was "without doubt the most significant event in the history of horse racing in Saudi Arabia" and showed the country's "ambition to become a leading player" in the sport.
“We are taking the first steps on a journey to bring the domestic racing product on a par with our international counterparts,” said Tom Ryan, director of strategy and international racing at the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. “The event will "increase the sport's following inside Saudi Arabia, as well as opening up the industry to international horses and connections to make our mark on global racing,” he continued.
Are you familiar with some of the legendary horses competing at the #SaudiCup2020? Here's Midnight Bisou, Legends of War, and Rowdy Yates arriving at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack. pic.twitter.com/bzt0CTGqSv
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) March 1, 2020
The race not only set a new milestone with its prize pool, it also welcomed females at the event. The UK’s Nicola Currie will be one of seven international female jockeys who became the first women to ride in a competitive race in Saudi Arabia.
Watch the thrilling moment Lisa Allpress made history as the first female jockey to win a race in Saudi Arabia. She won a race in the International Jockeys Challenge at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack:#SaudiCup pic.twitter.com/y66nT4yaFQ
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) February 29, 2020
Horses have been a central part of Saudi Arabia’s history, traditions, and culture. In fact, the Kingdom is famed for its strong desert-bred Arabians, one of the world’s oldest breeds of horses, from which racing thoroughbreds are descended. The Saudi Cup joins a list of other competitions created to highlight and celebrate the Kingdom’s rich and proud heritage, one that is closely tied to nature, such as the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.
