Manama, August 31 /BNA/ – Rashed Equestrian and Horse Racing Club has approved the racing calendar for the upcoming 2025-2026 season, which will start on Friday, October 31, 2025, featuring a rich and diverse program of local and international races, supported by many new developmental initiatives that align with the club’s vision to enhance the technical and administrative organization, in implementation of the directives of the club’s supreme authority chaired by His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Minister of the Royal Court and Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, aiming to consolidate the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a leading destination in the world of horse racing.

Mr. Youssef Osama Bouhaji, CEO of Rashed Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, explained that the upcoming season will build on previous successes and witness a qualitative leap in race quality and event organization. A highlight of the season is the His Majesty the King’s Cup Festival, the most prominent event in the calendar, with its prize money raised to $400,000, following its upgrade last season to Group 3 status, which will attract elite participants from global stables and confirm international presence in this unique race dedicated to high-class imported horses. The festival will be held for the second consecutive year over two days, March 5 and 6, 2026.

He pointed out the continuation of successful international races from previous seasons, foremost among them the Bahrain International Cup (Group 2), which will hold its seventh edition on Friday, November 14, 2025, featuring top global stables and live broadcast to over 100 countries. The Bahrain International Championship series will also continue, including 12 races held over several stages:

    • First round: December 19, 2025.
    • Following rounds: January 2, 16, 29 and February 19, 2026.
    • Final round on March 5, 2026.

The His Highness the Crown Prince Cup Festival will be held on January 29 and 30, 2026, in addition to the season’s final race scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026.

Mr. Bouhaji thanked all partners and sponsors inside and outside Bahrain for their continuous support, which has greatly contributed to the club’s ongoing success and the development of its races, enhancing Bahrain’s regional and international status in this field.

He added that the night races launched last season will continue in the upcoming season’s calendar due to their popular and organizational success, also helping attract owners and trainers from outside Bahrain and diversifying the audience experience with races held at different times during the season.

As part of enhancing the audience experience, the club announced the adoption of an electronic ticketing system for race attendance via the club’s website, available in several categories, each offering different services and benefits, in addition to various entertainment events in the event area, which will be continuously developed, with special celebrations on national occasions such as National Day, the “Royalty” evening on January 23, 2026, and the Ramadan Nights Festival, alongside public competitions held on the sidelines of the races.

The season will also witness the inauguration of a new main entrance gate and the opening of a street dedicated to the public, as part of the club’s infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating entry and exit and organizing traffic within the club’s general development plan.

“Stars of the Future” Races

The season will also feature the second edition of the “Stars of the Future” championship dedicated to locally bred horses, consisting of 6 heats over 3 rounds, aiming to support local production and provide opportunities for national talents in competitive fields.