Saudi and Gulf equestrian circles have entered the decisive stretch as the countdown begins to the tenth and final week of the Taif 2026 racing season, which draws the curtain on its summer programme at the end of this week on the King Khalid Racecourse in Al-Hawiyah.
The anticipation follows a pivotal round at the close of week nine, when the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia distributed prize money of nearly 2.8 million riyals and crowned five champions across speed titles and the Club’s honorary contributions — races that underlined peak form among the participating stables and riders.
Eyes now turn to the two richest closing evenings of the summer season:
Friday evening (25 September 2026): the night of the major cups, led by the internationally rated Group 3 King Faisal Cup for Purebred Arabian horses, alongside the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup, with substantial purses drawing the elite of Arabian speed and middle-distance runners.
Saturday evening (26 September 2026): the season’s finale with the National Day Cup for Thoroughbreds, framed by national and heritage celebrations as the closing champion is crowned.
Al-Hawiyah is seeing strong turnout this week from horse owners and racing fans across the Gulf, following the final metres of a contest that cements Taif’s place as the summer capital of purebred Arabian horsemanship and speed sports.
