The racing world will turn its attention to Abu Dhabi Turf Club on 6 December 2025, where the evening will build toward the spectacular highlight of the night — the 7th Race: HH The President Cup (Group 1, Purebred Arabian), a 2200m championship contest carrying an extraordinary AED 8,000,000 at 19:30. This will be the moment everyone waits for: a clash of world-class Purebred Arabian champions, each ready to etch their name into racing history under the brilliant Abu Dhabi night sky. With the grandstands set to thrum with anticipation, the stage will be perfectly set for a race loaded with elite talent, compelling storylines, and the kind of emotional intensity that only a Group 1 championship can deliver.
The meeting will open at 16:00 with Race 1 – Abu Dhabi Turf Club Conditions, run over 2200m for AED 150,000, where developing fillies and mares will aim to strike early and set the momentum for the evening. Energy will rise sharply at 16:30 when the Yas Sprint (Group 3) bursts from the gates, with sprinters blazing through a fast and furious 1200m dash for AED 400,000. At 17:00, the Al Wathba Mile, a 1600m contest worth AED 350,000, will bring a tactical middle-distance battle, followed by the UAE Breeders’ Cup at 17:40, also over 1600m and offering AED 500,000, where rising stars will attempt to showcase their potential.
The evening will continue gathering momentum with Race 5 – Abu Dhabi Derby (Listed) at 18:10, a demanding 2200m contest awarding AED 400,000, drawing promising stayers ready to prove themselves. Then, at 19:00, the spotlight will turn to Thoroughbreds with Race 6 – HH The President Cup (Thoroughbred) over 1400m, carrying AED 1,000,000, where an exceptional lineup of international talent will take the stage. Marbaan, ridden by Silvestre De Sousa for Michael Costa, will look to impose his class, while Make Me King, partnered with James Doyle for Hamad Al Jehani, will aim for a decisive front-running performance. Native Approach (Sam Hitchcott / Ahmad bin Harmash) and Andreas Vesalius (Connor Beasley / Ahmad bin Harmash) will add tactical versatility to the field.
Other notable contenders will include Monumental (Andrew Slattery / Bhupat Seemar), Bold Style (Tadhg O’Shea / Bhupat Seemar), and Echo Point, Kubrick, and Mountbatten all from Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s stable with Richard Mullen, Antonio Fresu, and Oscar Chavez aboard respectively. Dark Trooper (Christophe Soumillon / Alban de Mieulle), Danyah (Daniel Tudhope / Musabbeh Al Mheiri), Megarry (Adrie de Vries / Veronika Jandova), See Hector (Patrick Dobbs / Doug Watson), Western Writer (Cristian Demuro / Elise Jeanne), Folk Festival (Bernardo Pinheiro / Salem bin Ghadayer), and Regheeb (Ray Dawson / Michael Costa) will complete a field stacked with speed, stamina, and experience, promising an exhilarating race that will set the stage for the main event.
All eyes will then fix on the magnificent field assembling for the HH The President Cup (Group 1, Purebred Arabian) at 19:30, run over 2200m for a staggering AED 8,000,000. A star-studded cast will step forward, each contender bringing class, courage, and a compelling storyline. HM Alchahine, ridden by Cristian Demuro for Helal & Tahnon Alalawi, will aim to showcase his staying ability, while stablemate RB Kingmaker, with Christophe Soumillon aboard, will bring power and polish to the lineup. First Classs, guided by Connor Beasley for Doug Watson, will seek to reaffirm his reputation as one of the most consistent performers in top company.
French-trained challenger Nabucco Al Maury, with Guillaume Guedj Gay, will carry the hopes of the Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte stable, while Luwsail, partnered by Faleh Bughanaim for Jean De Mieulle, will arrive with proven international credentials. From the Athbah powerhouse, Ajrad Athbah (Abdul Aziz Al Balushi) and So’ud (Silvestre De Sousa), both trained by Majed Al Jahoori, will bring major home-team firepower to the contest. The Ernst Oertel-trained AF Maqam, under Patrick Dobbs, will add further depth, joining a field that already reads like a roll call of elite Arabian excellence. Additional challengers include Kanaille De Faust (Antonio Fresu / Musabbeh Al Mheiri), Djafar (Richard Mullen / Francois Rohaut), Joe Star (Bernardo Pinheiro / Hamad Al Marar), Hameem (Daniel Tudhope / Abdallah Al Hammadi), Munir Du Soleil (Saif Al Balushi / Ibrahim Al Hadhrami), Suny Du Loup (Ray Dawson / Ibrahim Al Hadhrami), and Molfit (James Doyle / Francois Rohaut).
As the gates fly open for the main event, the crowd will erupt, and the intensity of the 2200m battle will grip every eye in the grandstand. Each jockey’s decision, every stride of the horse, and the roaring energy from the stands will contribute to a spectacle that will define the evening. By the final furlong, hearts will race in unison, and when the winner crosses the line, the Abu Dhabi International Race Day on 6 December 2025 will stand as a night of history, emotion, and unforgettable sporting theatre — a celebration of speed, talent, and the enduring legacy of the HH The President Cup.
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