Taif horseracing season ends, with Riyadh gearing to go

As Great Scot romped home to victory in the final challenge of Taif’s King Khaled Racecourse on Sunday, so concluded this year’s summer horseracing season.

Situated at an altitude of 1,900 meters in the western mountains of Saudi Arabia, Taif’s year-round cool and balmy climate make it a perfect location for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia’s summer fixtures.

Pretty much the entire Saudi equine ecosystem — along with many owners, trainers and jockeys from surrounding countries and even further afield — relocates to the pleasant environs of Taif from mid-June to early October.

Kicking off on June 16 with a significantly expanded program, the Taif Season saw a total of 48 meetings and no less than 384 races, double the number of fixtures staged in 2021.

GALLERY: Taif horseracing season ends

Several new contests were added to the calendar, including the $260,000 Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup for Purebred Arabian horses, and the National Day Cup fixture, which features the Taif Derby, Taif Sprint Cup and Taif Arabian Horses Derby, all worth over $100,000.

These new races were run alongside more established competitions such as the marquee King Faisal Cup for Purebred Arabians, and the Taif Cup.

Prizes claimed through the Taif season totaled $8.8 million.

Salem Binmahfooz, JCSA director of racing, told Arab News: “Our expansion of the Taif racing season at King Khalid Racecourse in 2022 signifies our continued investment in racing in Saudi Arabia and our eagerness to see the sport flourish and to engage new audiences.

“The significant increase in racing and prize money has attracted some of the best horses in Saudi Arabia as well as the region to race at this unique course.”

The King Khaled Racecourse has seen major