DUBAI: The Saudi Arabia Royal Cup gets underway on Oct. 10 in Tokyo, marking the 11th partnership between the Japanese Racing Association and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.

First held under the Saudi banner in 2015 when King Abdullah, who was then the crown prince, presented the trophy at Tokyo Racecourse to the winners. The event has since come to represent the close sporting and equestrian ties between the two countries.

Open to 2-year-olds and carrying a purse of $502,000, the 1,600-meter turf contest was won in 2025 by Ecoro Alba (JPN) trained by Yasuhito Tamura.

This year the JCSA’s CEO Prince Salman bin Abdullah bin Salman bin Mohammed Al-Saud will attend the meeting in Japan and present the trophy to the winning connections.