CHAIR MAN S WELCO ME

C H A I R M A N ’ S W E LCOM E

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Horsemen’s Guide for the 2021 Saudi Cup weekend. It seems just a short while ago that we were compiling the pages of this document for the first time, yet so much has happened in the interim. On the domestic front we planned and delivered Saudi Arabia’s first international race day. The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated. To host not only the world’s richest race but also a seven-race undercard featuring six international contests in year one, is a point of pride for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. Last year’s introduction of the globally acclaimed turf course, the first such track in Saudi Arabia, was another important step in our racing evolution and, thanks in part to this development, 2020 saw winners trained in five countries. We are confident that the 2021 renewal will continue attract the best from around the world. We are now working to ensure continued improvements. Our goal is to work with the local and regional racing communities to enhance the sport in Saudi Arabia, enacting change and development in meaningful and sustainable ways. Our ambition to become a Part I IFHA country and secure black type status for our races is well documented. We know we need the backing of the sport to achieve these goals and so in these pages we set out our invitation to global horse racing. There are some changes for 2021 - an increase in prize money and a new international race on the Friday - all designed to provide added intrigue across two days of racing. It is too early to say, due to global challenges posed by Covid-19, exactly what form race weekend will take. We can only confirm our commitment to ensuring our programme is delivered in the safest and most enjoyable way possible for horse connections. We are pleased that all races remain free to enter, free to run and I hope that we will once again welcome the world’s best Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians to compete for total prize money of $30.5m on Saturday February 20, 2021. We look forward to receiving the free nominations to the Saudi Cup card by January 5, 2021, and to staging the second renewal of this very special event.

HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal

Chairman, Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia.