The Emirates Racing Authority registered 1,099 horses for the new season, marking a 31 percent increase from the previous year, according to an announcement from the governing body. The updated total covers Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians alike as the UAE cements its position as a leading center for international horse racing. The authority, which published the figures this week through the official WAM news agency, expects the larger roster to bolster competition throughout the calendar.
Nearly 350 owners and syndicates along with more than 35 trainers form the core of the industry, the ERA’s FAQs show. Races typically feature average fields of 10 with minimum prizemoney of approximately $15,000, details that have contributed to strong historical returns for participants that climbed as high as 230 percent of costs in 2000. The government-subsidized structure continues to draw investment from both local and overseas stables.
UAE racing traces its modern roots to Sharjah in 1983 and has since grown to encompass five tracks, among them Meydan that opened in 2010, according to the authority’s historical overview. The Dubai World Cup made its debut in 1996 with Cigar taking the inaugural running while Purebred Arabian events have expanded markedly over the past decade via the Maktoum Challenge, Arabian Triple Crown and the $250,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic. These developments have elevated the profile of both breeds on the world stage.
Horses change hands at auctions staged each May and October, facilitating entry into the racing population, the ERA stated. Thoroughbred registration flows through the authority itself whereas the Emirates Arabian Horse Society oversees Purebreds, a framework that previously supported around 650 Thoroughbreds and 350 Arabians in training. The new registration total suggests further expansion beyond those earlier counts.
The season aligns with the cooler months from October to March to optimize racing conditions, the authority explained. Attendance can swell to 10,000 at standard meetings at Meydan and Jebel Ali and exceeds 50,000 for the Dubai World Cup, figures that underline the sport’s popularity. With betting prohibited domestically, the emphasis stays on competition, breeding and the cultural significance of the events.
