They say horse racing is the ‘sport of kings’ and this phrase certainly isn’t out of place when it comes to some races having a ‘king’s ransom’ on offer to the winners. But, just what are the richest horse races in the world at present?
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Richest Horse Races In The World Are Headed By The Saudi Cup at $20m
We take a look at the horse races that offer the most prize money to the winners and runners from around the world.
1. SAUDI CUP ($20m)
The Saudi Cup was only first run in 2020, but it’s leaped to the top of the ‘richest horse races in the world’ tree. There’s a staggering $20m purse on offer for the runners, with the winning horse getting $10m. With the 10th finisher also receiving £200k, then it’s certainly not all about the winning. Is run in February each year at Riyadh racetrack in Saudi Arabia over 1m1f.
2. DUBAI WORLD CUP ($12m)
The Dubai Cup was first staged in 1996 and is now a regular ‘big pot’ horse race that is run at the end of March at Meydan. Run over 1m2f, the race used to be the richest horse race in the world between 1996 and 2020, until the Saudi Cup was created. With a huge prize on offer the runners come from all around the world and in the past has been won by equine legends that include Cigar, Dubai Millennium (watch below) and Arrogate.
3. THE EVEREST (A$15m)
An Australian race that carries a purse of $15m. Run over just 6f it’s a race that attracts some of the fastest horses in the world and is staged at the Royal Randwick racecourse in Sydney in mid-October. First run in 2017 and being on turf actually carries the title as the richest turf horse race in the world, with the Dubai World Cup and Saudi Cup run on dirt.
4. THE GOLDEN EAGLE (A$10m)
Another Australian race that has attached to it a big pot. Run at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney on the last Saturday in October, the event is staged over a 7 1/2f. It’s also a race only four 4 year-olds and can often get overshadowed by the Melbourne Cup, despite being worth more, which is run around the same time.
5. BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC ($6m)
A former world’s richest race, since being first run in 1984, but has slipped down the rankings with new races created. Run over 1m 2f at the US Breeders’ Cup meeting in early November and was won by the unbeaten wonder horse Flightline in 2022 (watch below). With the Breeders’ Cup meeting being run at different tracks each year, then there is no official track home for the contest.
6. DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC ($6m)
This Group One turf race is staged at Meydan racecourse in March on their Dubai World Cup card. The race is for 4 year-olds or older and run over a trip of 1m4f. Godolphin have won the race six times since 1998.
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7. ARIMA KINEN ($5.9m)
First of the big Japanese races to make the richest horse race league table. Run over 1m 4 1/2f at Nakayama Racecourse, the contest is the richest race in Japan. It takes place each year in late December and is believed to be one of the biggest betting horse races in the planet – even bigger than the Grand National. Interestingly, 10 of the 16 runners are also picked by a public vote.
8. JAPAN CUP ($5.9m)
The Japan Cup is next up. Run over 1m4f and staged in late November at Tokyo Racecourse. The race has been won by horses from all around the world, but in recent years has been dominated by the home-bred Japanese horses.
9. DUBAI TURF ($5m)
Another race that is staged on the lucrative Dubai World Cup card in late March each year. Run over 1m2f, the contest was first run in 1995 on dirt but has since been moved to the turf. Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has won the race six times in the past.
10. MELBOURNE CUP ($5m)
The Melbourne Cup used to be the richest horse race in Australia but has been moved down the pecking order with The Everest and The Golden Eagle being introduced. Billed as the ‘race that stops a nation’ there is a public holiday in the city of Melbourne each year when run in early November at Flemington Racecourse. The race is run over a trip of 2m.
11. PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE ($5m)
The Arc is the richest horse in Europe. Run over 1m4f in October each year and run at Longchamp racecourse in Paris. French trainer Andre Fabre has won the race the most – 8 times, while top jockey Frankie Dettori holds the most wins as a rider with 6 past Arc De Triomphe successes.
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