The Saudi Cup is the richest horse race in the world and one of the central international dirt events of the season. Run at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, the Group 1 contest attracts leading runners from several racing regions and has quickly become a major target for horses with global championship ambitions.
Saudi Cup basics
The Saudi Cup is contested over 1800 meters on dirt and carries a purse of US$20 million. The race is open to older Thoroughbreds and forms the centerpiece of Saudi Cup Weekend.
The first Saudi Cup was run in 2020. The race achieved Group 1 status in 2023 and has developed into a major international championship event in only a few years. King Abdulaziz Racecourse provides the setting, with a 2000 meter left handed dirt track and an 1800 meter turf course.
Forever Young makes history in 2026
Forever Young became the first two time winner of the Saudi Cup when he captured the 2026 edition on February 14. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, the Japanese star defeated Nysos by one length in 1:51.027.
The victory reinforced Forever Young’s position among the leading international dirt horses of his generation. He entered the race as the defending champion and added another major prize after previously winning the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Nysos finished second, while Tumbarumba took third. The result also set up another major international storyline when Forever Young later traveled to Dubai and finished behind Magnitude in the Dubai World Cup.
Why the Saudi Cup matters
The race has become an important bridge between racing seasons in North America, Japan, the Middle East, and Europe. Its timing in February gives top older dirt horses an early championship target before the Dubai World Cup and the major spring and summer programs begin.
The scale of the purse also changes campaign planning. Connections can build an international schedule around Riyadh, Dubai, and later championship events such as the Breeders’ Cup.
Saudi Cup 2027
The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that the next Saudi Cup meeting will take place on February 5 and 6, 2027, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The Riyadh racing season begins on October 16, 2026, and continues into 2027, with the Saudi Cup serving as its major international centerpiece.
OTB Bet will use this page as the canonical Saudi Cup guide. Confirmed fields, race day details, results, and meaningful historical updates will be added here as they become available rather than spread across thin duplicate pages.
Explore more major international races in the OTB Bet Major Races hub, or continue with the Dubai World Cup guide.
Image credit: Mohammed Alzubidi, Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.