The Higher Organising Committee has designated Latakia’s Sports City racecourse to stage the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses on October 9 and 10, marking Syria’s first time hosting the prestigious event as part of its expanded 33rd edition. The opening day will present 10 races involving approximately 160 horses while the second day features five races with an estimated 90 to 100 competitors, according to details released by the committee. Preparations by the Latakia Equestrian Club have advanced to 90 percent completion on both indoor and outdoor tracks, with officials applying final adjustments to accommodate international participants and spectators.
Firas Najm, head of the Latakia Equestrian Club’s board of directors, reported that technical and logistical arrangements are nearing full readiness to meet the standards of a global competition. The club has coordinated extensively to prepare the venue, ensuring it can support high-level racing and draw regional attention to equestrian sports. This addition to the calendar comes after the series visited multiple European venues and precedes further Arab stops in Libya and Egypt.
Launched in 1994 under the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE President’s Cup has grown into the foremost global series dedicated to Purebred Arabian horses. The 33rd edition, supported by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, offers prize money surpassing AED20 million following the record participation of 354 horses and more than 400,000 spectators in the previous season. Central Statistical Bureau and Emirates News Agency figures from prior editions place the digital audience above 500 million views, illustrating the event’s widening international footprint.
Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, said the backing from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed has positioned the Cup as a bridge between the UAE and the world. Al Dhaheri noted that organisers are pursuing a global strategy to enhance the value of the Purebred Arabian horse on four continents, describing the increase to 19 stations as clear evidence of this approach. The series opened in Tunisia in April and has since traversed the United States, France, Sweden, Italy, Morocco, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Türkiye, Russia and Poland.
The Syria hosting aligns with the calendar transition into the Arab world, where the competition will continue in Libya on October 24 before reaching Egypt on October 31 and concluding with the grand finale at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on November 20. Each leg contributes to sustaining engagement among owners, breeders and trainers while showcasing elite Purebred Arabian horses under diverse conditions at renowned tracks. Previous rounds have produced standout champions that advanced to subsequent major fixtures, reinforcing the series’ role in elevating the breed’s competitive profile.
Syria’s inclusion represents an expansion of the Cup’s regional presence and is expected to stimulate local interest in equestrian activities through direct exposure to world-class racing. The Higher Organising Committee has emphasised that such stops help preserve heritage while fostering new opportunities for collaboration across the Arabian horse community. Organisers anticipate strong turnout at Latakia, building on the successful European legs that drew crowds of up to 55,000 at individual venues.
