The 17th leg of the 33rd UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses will feature 15 competitors at the racetrack in Benghazi on Saturday as part of the Third Libya Heritage Carnival, according to the Emirates News Agency. The main race will be run over 2,000 metres on sand with the Higher Organising Committee confirming that all structural and logistical preparations have been completed. The event marks the second year running that Libya has hosted a round of the series, which carries a total prize fund exceeding AED20 million across 19 legs on four continents.
Prominent entries include Hatem by TM Fred Texas out of Haifa, Lord de Lardos by Bon de Lardos out of Alpha de Lardos and Neptune Al Mouri by Jaafar ASF out of Nilka, the Emirates News Agency listed. Additional horses declared for the race are Adib Adba, Dari, Shahab Kaheel, Nafis Al Khuyul, RB To The House, AA Burning Down, Wafeeq, Caspar Ymir, RB Desert Lion, Mawared, Majd Al Sham and Derf Grain. All contestants are purebred Arabians drawn from leading studs in the region.
The UAE President’s Cup series was launched in 1994 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to elevate the global standing of the Arabian horse breed, a statement from the Higher Organising Committee in April 2026 recalled. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the competition has grown into the richest and most prestigious event of its kind. The 33rd edition follows a record 32nd season that attracted 354 horses and more than 400,000 spectators.
Libya first joined the calendar in 2025 when 96 horses contested six races during the Second Libya Heritage Carnival at the same Benghazi venue, the Emirates News Agency reported from that event. The horse Afjan claimed victory in the main UAE President’s Cup race last year. Ali Al-Anizi, general manager of the Al-Watan Shooting and Equestrian Club, described the upcoming edition as a world-class equestrian occasion that builds on the previous success.
Digital coverage of the 32nd edition surpassed 500 million views while the current season has already staged legs at iconic venues including Longchamp, Churchill Downs and Doncaster, according to updates from the Higher Organising Committee. Faisal Al Rahmani, secretary-general of the committee, noted during an October 2026 meeting that the series has become a strategic partner for leading international racing festivals. The gathering at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental reviewed outcomes from earlier rounds and finalised plans for remaining stops.
The inclusion of the Libya leg for a second successive year reflects the UAE’s commitment to fostering sporting and cultural cooperation with the North African nation, a WAM dispatch stated. Organisers expect the Saturday programme, which includes 16 races over two days, to draw strong local and regional interest from owners and breeders. Results from the Benghazi event will contribute to the overall standings in the 33rd edition of the UAE President’s Cup.