The historic Doncaster Racecourse in the United Kingdom is set to host the thirteenth leg of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses. This event forms part of the 33rd edition of the series and coincides with the 250th anniversary celebrations of the renowned St Leger Festival.
Staged with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the cup series underscores a long-term commitment to the global Arabian horse racing industry. The initiative aims to support international breeders and owners while elevating the profile of the breed at premier racing venues worldwide.
The centerpiece of the event is the Group 1 UAE Derby for Purebred Arabian Horses, a 2,000-metre turf race for four-year-old colts and fillies. With a purse of £250,000, it stands as the most valuable race of its category in Europe. The competition is scheduled to begin at 8:23pm (UAE time) on the final day of the Anglo Arab Derby, drawing an elite field of horses that have excelled in Group 1 events throughout the current season.
Among the top contenders is Sab’aan Al Shahania, owned by Sheikha Iman Bint Mohammed Al Thani, trained by François Rohaut, and ridden by Stephane Pasquier. Having already secured the French Arabian Derby at Chantilly, the horse aims to complete a rare French-English Derby double. He faces stiff competition from Wathnan Racing’s Romeo AT, who finished as the runner-up in the French Derby and placed third in this race last year. Trained by Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte and partnered with jockey Tom Marquand, Romeo AT looks to reverse the narrow result from their previous encounter.
The field also includes Laffan, owned by Al Wasmiyah Racing and trained by François Rohaut, who enters with a strong record of two Group 1 victories over 2,000 metres in France. Other notable entries include the British-based Al Sharid, trained by David Griffiths, as well as Ashj’aa and Zayin Sentinel, both under the guidance of trainer Philip Collington. The event’s history is marked by past champions such as Hayyan, Hattal, Aabes, Al Dawha, Lusail, and last year’s winner, Libo de Carrere.
This Doncaster meeting follows the successful staging of the Newbury leg on 14 August, which saw Eljas du Bienn claim victory in a Group 3 race. Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee, highlighted the significance of the Doncaster leg, noting that the racecourse’s prestige and the event’s timing during the St Leger Festival add immense technical value to the series.
Al Dhaheri expressed pride in the high caliber of international participation, stating that hosting two legs in the UK this year demonstrates the series’ expansion and the effectiveness of partnerships with historic venues. He emphasized that these efforts align with the vision of Sheikh Mansour to provide world-class platforms for breeders and to showcase future champions on the global stage, further cementing the UAE’s leadership in the sport. The report also notes that amid anticipation of a strong contest bringing together a group of the most prominent horses to have proven themselves in Group 1 races this season, the race gets underway at 8:23pm (UAE time). The report also notes that which would make him only the fifth champion to achieve the double, he seeks to combine the French and English Derby titles. The report also notes that he renews his rivalry with Sab’aan Al Shahania after the tight finish that separated them at Chantilly. The report also notes that carrying the colours of Athbah Racing, trained by Philip Collington and ridden by Dougie Costello, and Zayin Sentinel (by Sevrit Al Maury out of Samawaring Zayin), representing Red Dragon Racing Club, trained by Philip Collington and ridden by Joanna Mason, completing the field are Ashj’aa (by AF Al Buraq out of Munadi). The report also notes that among them Hayyan (2019) and Hattal (2020), both for Yas Horse Racing Management, Aabes, champion of the 2021 edition, Al Dawha, crowned in 2023, Lusail, champion of 2024, and Libo de Carrere, who claimed the title of last year’s edition, confirming the considerable technical value of the race and its role in, the record of the Doncaster leg carries the names of some of the most prominent Purebred Arabian champions. The report also notes that following the success achieved by the Newbury leg on 14 August, staged for the first time at that historic racecourse and won by the colt Eljas du Bienn (by Muntaser Al Khalediah out of Djaiza du Bienn), owned by Sheikh Hamed Khadim Butti Al Hamed, trained by Elisabeth Bernard, the Doncaster leg comes as an extension of the Prestigious Cup’s distinguished presence in the United Kingdom during the 33rd edition. The report also notes that in the Group 3 race for three-year-olds over 1,600 metres, jean-François and ridden by Antoine Werle.
