Excitement filled the air as the Abu Dhabi Turf Club held the barrier draw Dec. 4 for the prestigious 33rd UAE President Cup, which will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Dec. 6.
Attendees of the draw were filed into the beautiful Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Horsemen's Lounge, a recently opened facility that is touted for its globally unique architecture and guest experience. An orchestra played for guests inside the arena as guests in the lounge made their own hats for Saturday's race while tasting local food and drink.
All of this that accompanied drawing the starting positions for the world's feature Arabian Purebreds race, and the continued upgrades to the facility, is an example of the commitment that the ADTC has taken to become a world-class racing facility with top-tier racing—for both Arabian Purebreds and Thoroughbreds.
His Excellency Eng. Ali Al Shaiba, director general of ADEC and ADTC, called the new ADEC facility "the first step in the master plan" to raise the course's reputation to a world-renowned sporting and equestrian venue. Major 2023 renovations saw the addition of a 10,000-seat grandstand, exclusive VIP suites, and a premium hospitality garden. Located in the heart of the United Arab Emirates' capital city, the track also has a nine-hole golf course and country club.
"We provide a different experience for the guests and the audience to experience jumping," Shaiba said of the new AEDC facility. "This was the first thing that we did, and we will carry it on to the racing as well. What we can promise today is we are going to change the way people will experience horse racing on a global scale. ... What will be developed is a flip of horse racing from an experience perspective, from a spectator's perspective. That will reflect positively on the industry and developing the whole ecosystem."
Founded in 1976 as a riding club by the late president, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, racing began at the facility 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 (approx. US$2,178,056, AED1 = US$0.27) on the line. One race prior to the featured Arabian group 1 is a listed 7-furlong event for Thoroughbreds, the H H The President Cup, worth AED1 million ($272,257).
Horses are deeply rooted in Arabian culture, and Arabian Purebred racing has been a distinct feature in the Arabian sports calendar for decades. However, the success of the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Saudi Cup (G1) festivals have helped bring Thoroughbred racing—which owes its own heritage to Arabian horses—to a prominent and growing relevance in the region, and one that the ADTC is now targeting to help carry them to the global stage.
"The (ADTC) has a rich history in 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 on the Dec. 1 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast. "We're looking to develop the Thoroughbred offering as we look to enhance the condition book."
As proof of their devotion to increasing their Thoroughbred profile, the ADTC is set to run the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup over 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) Feb. 7. Saturday's H H The President Cup acts as a stepping stone into the new event worth US$1 million. 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 compliment the Dubai World Cup and the carnival that is being held during that period," Brown said. "We believe that we will attract the top-line Thoroughbreds here to Abu Dhabi Turf Club to race in the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup. It really puts on the international map as a destination for Thoroughbred racing."
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The response to the new featured race in February could be felt in the entry box for the H H The President Cup with 22 runners and four reserves signed up for Saturday's contest. Among the entrants is Danyah, winner of the 2023 Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) on Dubai World Cup night.
The international appeal is likely to only get stronger as the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup gets older. Brown said that ADTC has partnered with Churchill Downs to provide the winner of the 2026 Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) on Kentucky Derby day May 2 with an automatic invite to the 2027 Abu Dhabi Gold Cup.
"We're really looking forward to growing that relationship and strengthening our ties with the U.S.A. and a lot of racing jurisdictions within the U.S. to drive international Thoroughbred racing here in the UAE and Abu Dhabi," Brown said.
Churchill Downs recently showed its support in the growth of the Middle Eastern region by expanding the Kentucky Derby's international qualifying series to include more races hosted in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
READ: Three Races Added to European/Middle East Derby Series
That recognition is the reward for an improving racing product as the UAE and its closest racing countries—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait—are beginning to collaborate to keep top runners local throughout their seasons before and after international events.
"If the region functions as a whole group effectively, then you tend to get the better Thoroughbreds here to conduct a campaign," Brown said. "This is a growth region. Where a lot of jurisdictions are struggling with the relevance of horse racing, in this region it is growing fast.
"The region understands that it is an area where we can hold some of the grand events, and we want world-class events here. It's on Abu Dhabi's vision and strategic plan to develop world-class events, especially for Thoroughbreds."
So creates the perfect mix for Abu Dhabi: top-class Arabian Purebreds creating championship race days that can attract top horsemen to bring their Thoroughbreds, and the Thoroughbreds providing international marketing appeal to help pull attention to the Arabian races on the card.
"One of the most important sports in the UAE today is equestrian," Shaiba said. "Today, we are looking at this place as a platform to get the media exposure, to send the message to everyone globally about our culture, heritage, and how equestrian and horses was part of building our nation."
His Excellency Faisal Al Rahmani, president of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities, praised the work of the media team involved in The President Cup, allowing the 17-race global series—which culminates with its championship race Saturday—to amass more than half a billion views across social media platforms this year.
"Horses become, for Arabian people, a symbol they cannot unshare," he said. "It is very important for them to continue."
Shaiba sees the improvements to the facility and racing product as an opportunity to not only showcase the sport of horse racing, but as a bridge for those around the globe to be welcomed in and learn about their culture.
"Horses have always been a lifestyle for us. It's a symbol of pride," he said. "(We want to show) the way we welcome people here, the hospitality of Abu Dhabi and of Arabs, and how today we want also to have things in common, to share knowledge. At the end, it's part of our cultural exposure."
One American owner who has bought into racing in the UAE is Deborah Mihaloff of Cre Run Farm. A Virginia-based breeder of Purebred Arabians who also used to buy and race Thoroughbreds with her late husband, Alan Kirshner, Mihaloff has one of the featured horses in Saturday's Arabian UAE President Cup, First Classs, the 2024-25 Emirates Racing Authority Purebred Arabian Horse of the Year. Mihaloff brought several guests with her 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. "This country's culture and heritage is the Arabian horse, and they are therefore trying to promote it on a global scale. Everyone has a dream, and it is to win the big race. When you have the ability to win a purse of $2.1 million, you're crazy not to want to be involved in it if you're into horses."
Mihaloff's racing manager, Amanda Roxborough, began her career working with Thoroughbreds in the Middle East and has watched the region grow its racing product over the past 30 years.
"For people that are in Thoroughbreds, I think it's a really important thing that people put on their roster," Roxborough said. "Having a satellite barn here with the purse money, the structure, it's really good for any horse of any condition."
From November through April, racing shines in the Middle East through strong competition and high purse value. In the UAE, five racetracks offer unique racing opportunities for horses through different designs and surfaces.
Mihaloff noted that the competition between countries in the region—in regard to offering the highest purses—has made it a lucrative scene for owners. Roxborough said they raced two horses in the Middle East last year and pocketed US$802,000.
"I think more Americans should do it. It's a good business decision," Roxborough said. "We're treated very well over here, it's a very safe country, it's a lovely thing to do. They treat the owners with a lot of respect."
"I love coming over here," Milhaloff said. "I really feel this is a magical country. We need to respect it and respect their heritage and culture; maybe understand it a little bit better."
