President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses kicks off 33rd series in Tunisia
President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses opens its 33rd series in Tunisia on April 19, 2026, launching a 19-stop global season with AED 20m+ in prizes.
The 33rd edition of the President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses formally begins in Tunisia on April 19, 2026, with the opening race staged at the historic Qasr Al-Saeed racetrack.
The global series — expanded to 19 international legs across four continents — marks one of the largest and richest seasons in the event’s history, with total prizes exceeding AED 20 million.
Tunisia stage sets tone for the season
The opening contest at Qasr Al-Saeed features a 2,000-metre Category One test on a sandy surface, attracting 14 runners from leading studs across Tunisia and North Africa.
Race officials described the field as a strong local line-up that underscores the depth and improving standards of purebred Arabian racing in the region.
Leading contenders and local champions
Among the favourites is Khaddam, a gelding bred from Maqatil Al Khalidiyah out of Bint Sour, who has claimed the Tunisian leg three consecutive times in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Also entered is Nafah, the defending series champion, who will attempt to retain his form and extend his record in the opening stage.
Full entry list highlights regional strength
The starter list reads as a who’s who of North African stables, including Las Vegas, Buraq, Afjan, Mousan and Nims alongside Muneeb Al Wajd and Arabi Ammar.
Other notable entries are Waad Al Adiyat, Rafly, Mawared, RB Boy Friend and Jindor de Bosol, representing a cross-section of established and emerging bloodlines.
Series format and financial backing
Organisers emphasized that the 33rd series expands on a calendar engineered to elevate the international profile of purebred Arabian racing.
The programme’s 19 legs, staged across four continents, and the overall purse of more than AED 20 million reflect sustained investment aimed at supporting owners, breeders and international competition.
Organisers underline UAE leadership and support
Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, said the Tunisia launch is a strategic step in the wider campaign to globalise the President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses.
He credited continuous backing from the UAE leadership for enabling the series to become a premier platform that promotes breeders, trainers and the cultural heritage of the Arabian horse worldwide.
Implications for breeders, owners and the sport
Breeders and owners look to the series as both a proving ground and a market-building mechanism that enhances the value of successful bloodlines.
Races such as the Tunisian opener provide critical opportunities for regional studs to measure their stock against international standards and to attract wider attention from overseas buyers and racing managers.
The opening day at Qasr Al-Saeed will be closely watched by racing authorities and industry stakeholders as the first indicator of form ahead of a packed international schedule.
With high-profile entrants and strong organisational backing, the 33rd President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses aims to reinforce the UAE’s standing as a global leader in supporting and promoting Arabian horse racing.