The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) was formally recognised as the hosts of the 2026 Asian Racing Conference in a ceremony marking the close of the 2024 event in Sapporo, Japan.

The JCSA’s Chairman, HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal set the scene for the 41st conference during a speech given at a ceremony held to mark the end of the 40th event, staged by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) from August 27 to September 1, 2024.

The conference, which is organised biannually in conjunction with the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), is one of the most significant global events in the horseracing industry. Every two years it plays host to racing experts, owners and prominent industry executives who come together to set the agenda and discuss challenges affecting the sport internationally.

HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled AlFaisal. Credit: Asian Racing Federation

In his speech HRH Prince Bandar said: “As a relatively new racing jurisdiction on the global stage, Saudi Arabia was delighted to be selected as the venue for the 41st Asian Racing Conference.

“We thank the Asian Racing Federation for this honour and we plan to give this prestigious event the platform it deserves back home in Riyadh, taking the opportunity to showcase both our sport and our country.”

The Asian Racing Conference was first staged in Tokyo in 1960 and has been held in Japan four times in total, the most recent being in 2008. The event has been hosted in the Middle East only once previously, when the UAE won the honour for the 31st running in 2007.

HRH Prince Bandar continued: “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 its role in our future, is deeply embedded in Saudi culture and heritage.”

The JCSA expects to host approximately 1,000 participants from around the world at the 2026 conference, which reflects the size of the event and its importance in developing and strengthening the horse racing industry globally.

It also confirms the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s growing position as a major horse racing destination in the Middle East and around the world.