As Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia it is my immense pleasure to welcome friends and colleagues from all over the world to the 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia is a nation with a proud equestrian history and having overseen the accelerated development of The Saudi Cup race meeting since its inauguration in 2020, it is fitting that the theme for this year’s ARC is ‘Honouring Tradition, Shaping The Future’.
I invite all delegates to experience our rich cultural heritage during your time in Saudi Arabia, and join us during conference week as we build towards The Saudi Cup 2026, held at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on 14 February.
The first ARC was staged in Tokyo in 1960 and has subsequently travelled to many countries. We are honoured for Saudi Arabia to be first-time hosts, nearly 20 years since its last visit to the region, courtesy of the UAE in 2007. We thank the Asian Racing Federation for this opportunity and we plan to give this prestigious event the platform it deserves.
If Japan is where the Asian Racing Conference was given life, then the Arabian Peninsula is where the roots of the modern-day racehorse were established, hundreds of years ago, through the foundation sires. This deep connection to the sport of horseracing is part of our national identity. The legacy of the horse, its place in our history and the will to safeguard its role in our future, is deeply embedded in Saudi culture and heritage.
We launched The Saudi Cup from a standing start six years ago and nurtured a global event which has produced winners from America, Japan, the UK and Saudi Arabia. Now we plan to share our vision for the future of Saudi racing and our ambition to foster international relations through the events of the 41st ARC.
Under the patronage of our leadership, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and The Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia is proud to welcome the delegates for the 41st Asian Racing Conference to our country.
I wish all attendees a highly productive week, set against the backdrop of the very best of Saudi Arabian racing, hospitality and culture.
