Have Horse Will Travel - Key fixtures trainers should target this winter
Article by Lissa Oliver
Breeders’ Cup
The 42nd running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held for a fourth time in Del Mar, California on Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November. Consisting of 14 Grade 1 races with purses and awards totalling more than $34m (€29m/£25m).
Each race pays prize money through to tenth position. Each international starter receives a travel award of $40k for horses shipping directly from their home country to California.
The “win and you’re in” series consists of 69 of the best races from around the world, from June to October, awarding each winner an automatic and free entry into the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Pre-entries open online from October 1st (via members.breederscup.com) and close at noon (pacific time) on Monday 20th October. All races are non-invitational and open to all thoroughbreds.
Hong Kong
With the addition of public holidays, racing takes place throughout the winter twice a week, with meetings at Happy Valley on most Wednesdays and at Sha Tin mostly on Sundays. All 31 Group Races are open to international horses. The highlight is the Hong Kong International Day 14th December at Sha Tin, with four Gp.1 races, the €4.4m (£3.8m) Hong Kong Cup 2000m (10f), the €3.9m (£3.5m) Hong Kong Mile 1600m (8f), €3m (£2.7m) Hong Kong Sprint 1200m (6f) and €2.9m (£2.5m) Hong Kong Vase 2400m (12f). Champions Day is held at Sha Tin 26th April 2026, with three Gp.1 races, the €3.3m (£2.9m) QEII Cup 2000m (10f), the €2.6m (£2.3m) Champions Mile 1600m (8f) and the €2.6m (£2.3m) Chairman’s Sprint Prize 1200m (6f).
Connections of selected overseas horses for Hong Kong’s seven feature Group 1 races, LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, FWD QEII Cup, FWD Champions Mile and Chairman’s Sprint Prize, will enjoy travel and accommodation packages provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Flights will be provided for the owner plus one, trainer plus one and the jockey, plus two persons per horse (groom, exercise rider, etc) and five nights hotel accommodation for each of those listed. This also includes free transfers from the airport and transport between the official hotels and Sha Tin Racecourse for morning track work and race meetings, plus transport between the official hotels and the venues for official functions.
The Club also offers shipping incentives to selected overseas horses for the same seven feature Group 1 races, covering the costs of return transport by road from home stable to departure airport, and return air transport for each selected horse.
The Quarantine Stables are located at Sha Tin Racecourse, 45 minutes from Hong Kong International Airport. The Club strongly recommends shipping horses at least eight days before the date of the race to allow for the recovery from, and appropriate treatment of, any potential travel-related illness.
During the 90 days prior to export to Hong Kong, but not within 14 days, a horse must be administered either a primary course of approved vaccinations against equine influenza comprising of at least two doses with an interval of 4 to 6 weeks (or according to the terms of vaccine registration with the relevant government authority) or a booster vaccination given within 12 months of a primary course.
During the 14 days prior to export, specific disease testing is to be performed. No less than 10 days prior to a horse departing for Hong Kong, irrespective of the country in which the horse is located at the time, the trainer must submit the First Medication Declaration Form (MDF1) to the Club via the online Equine MediRecord system.
Between six days (maximum) and three days (minimum) a pre-travel veterinary inspection must be performed by a Club-approved veterinary surgeon. At the time of this inspection, the inspecting veterinary surgeon must obtain from the horse’s trainer a completed and signed copy of the Second Medications Declaration Form (MDF2), which records any additional medications administered to the horse since the submission of the First Medications Declaration Form (MDF1).
It should be noted that nasal dilators and drop nosebands are not permitted to be used on horses in Hong Kong.
Morocco
With an emphasis on quality Purebred Arabian racing, the international races staged in Morocco during November for thoroughbreds can easily slip under the radar, but the prize money available is attractive.
The 2400m (12f) Grand Prix de sa Majeste Le Roi Mohammed Vi – Défi Du Galop for three-year-olds and up tops the purses at €133,000 (£116,000), while the Grand Prix des Eleveurs for three-year-old fillies, run over 1750m (9f) carries €71,600 (£62,500). Entry fees are €650 (£567) and €350 (£305) respectively.
The 1900m (10f) Grand Prix des Proprietaires for three-year-old colts is worth €61,500 (£53,600), entry fee €300 (£262) and there is also a 1750m (9f) race for juveniles offering €28,500 (£25,000), the Prix Jean-Pierre Laforest.
The incentives to owners and trainers are also attractive, with flights paid for by SOREC for the owner plus one, trainer plus one and the jockey. Hotel accommodation is also provided by SOREC at the official hotel and transport to and from the racecourse and training centre. Grooms stay at the Bouskoura Training Centre in La Cité du Cheval, where the horses will stay. A transport subsidy is awarded to participating horses that come overland, Spain €2,000, France €2,500 and UK and Ireland €3,000 (£2,600).
For the temporary admission of horses, all horses must have a veterinary health certificate validated by the official veterinary service, and originals of test reports from the laboratory.
For most European countries, with which SOREC has sanitary agreements, there are two analysis that are requested, the test of Equine Infectious Anemia (Coggins test within 30 days of loading) and the test of Equine Viral Arteritis at the intervals indicated, within 21 days (Spain) or 28 days (France) of loading (Serum neutralisation test). For horses regularly vaccinated against this disease, a second test within a minimum 14 days is required. Horses must be properly vaccinated against Equine influenza and Equine Viral Rhinopneumonitis.
British All-Weather Championships
There are six Championship categories, with qualification achieved through either a minimum of three runs on the all-weather track and a high enough BHA rating, or by winning a Fast Track Qualifier.
There are also qualifiers in Ireland at Dundalk and in France at Cagnes-sur-Mer and Deauville.
Finals Day is the richest day of all-weather racing in Europe with prize money over £1m (€1.1m) and takes place at Newcastle on Good Friday, 3rd April 2026.
The Championship races comprise the Marathon over 3200m (2m) for four-year-olds up, The Fillies’ and Mares’ over 1400m (7f), the Sprint Championship over 1200m (6f) for four-year-olds up, the Three-year-old Championship over 1200m (6f), the Easter Classic over 2000m (10f) and the All-Weather Mile (1600m) for four-year-olds up.
Belgium winter series
Racing takes place fortnightly at Mons from October through to February, the highlight on 4th December being the 1500m (7.5f) Prix Open Mons worth €25,000 (£22,000), for three-year-olds and up who have not won or been placed second or third in a Group or Listed race. Prize money at each meeting ranges from €5,000 up to €8,000 (£4,000-£7,000).
Bahrain Turf Series
The Bahrain Turf Series is an initiative designed to attract international runners to compete in Bahrain. The series targets horses rated between 85+ to compete against domestically trained horses. For 2025/26, the Bahrain Turf Series has been expanded to comprise ten handicap races, and two condition races, now worth a total of $1m (€852,000/£743,500), with a further $80,000 available in bonuses.
The programme starts on 19th December and runs until 5th March, with the final two handicaps, each worth $100,000 (€85,100/£74,300), run as part of the King’s Cup Festival. Additionally, the expansion of the Bahrain Turf Series last year means that all the premier races in the second half of the season fall within the dates of the international programme. This enables horses to progress from Bahrain Turf Series races to Bahrain’s premier races, such as The Crown Prince’s Cup, The Shaikh Nasser Cup, the Al Methaq Mile and The King’s Cup, along with further valuable races.
Edward Veale, Director of Racing and International Relations, tells us how important and rewarding it is to bring people to Bahrain. “The development of internationally-recognised racing has been very rewarding and we need to continue to build our international profile in order to keep improving the quality of our racing. Significant investment has gone into the Bahrain Turf Club and the racing programme, and international competition is integral to the improvement of the domestic core of horses. For example last year, of the 18 races we promoted as international, nine were won by visiting horses and nine domestically-trained horses. It is important to maintain this balance.”
To nominate for stabling, email Max Pimlott, max@irbracing.com by Thursday 6th November.
Dubai Carnival
The Dubai Racing Carnival opens in November at Meydan Racecourse, the world’s largest racing facility hosting 17 meetings throughout the season, concluding in March with the 30th renewal of the Dubai World Cup on a card totalling $30.5m (€26.1m/£22.8m).
There are a number of valuable opportunities all season, beginning in November with the €125,600 (£106,912) Listed Dubai Creek Mile on dirt for three-year-olds up. January is busy, with 11 black type races from 1000m (5f) up to 2810m (14f) and ranging from €125,600 (£106,912) for Listed up to €213,489 (£181,719) for Group 2s and €924,282 (£786,662) for the Gp.1 Al Maktoum Challenge, 1900m (9f) on dirt. On turf, the Gp.1 Jebel Hatta, 1800m (9f) carries a purse of €464,658 (£395,469).
Beyond Meydan, the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club hosts the Listed 1600m (8f) Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup in December, and the Listed 1400m (7f) HH The President Cup, both on turf with a prize of €95,443 (£81,242) each. Jebel Ali Racecourse hosts the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, the third leg of the Emirates Sprint Series, 1000m (5f) on dirt for a prize of €125,600 (£106,912), and the Gp.3 Jebel Ali Mile on dirt, €175,840 (£149,677). Fifteen black type races from Listed up to Group 2 are run at Meydan during February and March, again from 1000m (5f) to 2810m (14f) and with similar valuable prizes, all of which lead through to the end-of-season highlight of Dubai World Cup night.
Pegasus World Cup
The 10th Running of the Gr.1 The Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park Saturday 24th January will be worth $3m (€2.56m/£2.2m). For four-year-olds and upward, the 1800m (9f) dirt race is by invitation only, with no fees to enter or start, and is the finale on a star-studded 12-race card.
Also on the card is the Gr.1 The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, over the same distance and under the same conditions, worth $1m (€852,000/£743,500), and the 1600m (8f) Gr.2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational, with a purse of $500,000 (€426,000/£372,000).
Entries close at noon on Sunday 18th January. The Pegasus World Cup Selection Committee will publish a list of invitees 31st December. There are automatic qualifiers into the 2026 Pegasus, the winner of the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood receives an automatic invitation to the Pegasus World Cup Turf and the winner of the Qatar Nassau Stakes (Gp.1) receives an automatic invitation to the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and at Woodbine the invitation will be extended to the winner of the Dance Smartly, plus all receive a $25,000 travel allowance and VIP hospitality for the winning connections.
All of the connections of runners are assured they will be looked after better than anywhere else in the USA, with 5-star hotels available, ground transport and VIP accommodations on raceday.
Supporting the invitationals are the 2400m (12f) Gr.3 William L. McKnight Turf race for four-year-olds and up, and the 1400m (7f) Gr.2 The Inside Information Dirt race for fillies and mares four-year-olds and up, both worth $200,000 (€170,000/£149,000).
Free nomination by 11th January, $2,000 (€1,700/£1,500) to enter. There are also three $150,000 (€128,000/£111,500) races, with free nomination by 11th January, $1,500 to enter, namely the 1000m (5f) The Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint for four-year-olds and up on Turf, the Gr.3 1600m (8f) The Fred W. Hooper on Dirt, and the 2400m (12f) Gr.3 The Christophe Clement for fillies and mares four-year-olds and up. Run on Tapeta over 1600m (8f) for $100,000 (€85,200/£74,300) are The South Beach for fillies and mares four-year-olds and up, and The Carousel Club for four-year-olds and up, both handicaps.
National Hunt
In Britain, £3.2m (€3.7m) will be invested in prize money for developmental races in 2026, comprising novice and maiden races on the Flat and over Jumps, 20% of the race programme. Over Jumps, a total of approximately 50 novice and beginners’ chases will be programmed in 2026, with minimum values at £20,000 (€23,000) for Class 2 and £15,000 (€17,000) for Class 3. The same values will apply to novice and maiden hurdles. Class 4 races will be permitted with a minimum value of £10,000 (€11,500).
A new bonus scheme will be introduced for point-to-point horses, with the aim of strengthening the programme as a development ground for future stars progressing to race Under Rules. The Maiden Series, which will be supported by £250,000 (€286,000) of funding, will take place at selected Point-to-Point Authority (PPA) tracks during the 2025/26 season. It will comprise 15 maiden races for four and five-year-old horses, with the winners of those races qualifying for a bonus when they win their first developmental novice or maiden race over hurdles or fences Under Rules.
A significant number of Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chases have been removed from the programme and replaced with ‘Chasing Excellence’ Beginner/Novices' Chases, each run for an increased minimum value of £12,000 at Class 3 rising to £15,000 in 2026. The new Chasing Excellence initiative will see more Class 2 and 3 Beginners’ Chases weight-for-age contests restricted to horses that have not yet won a race over fences, and Novices’ Chases replacing a significant number of Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chases, from October 2025 and into 2026.
New requirements for Grade 1 Novices' and Juvenile Hurdle races mean that horses will only be permitted to run in Grade 1 Novices’ and Juvenile Hurdle races if they have been allotted a rating or an assessment of 110 or more by the BHA Handicapper, taking account of races run up to and including the day prior to confirmation. The change brings the novice and juvenile hurdle division into line with Open Grade 1 Chases and Hurdles and Grade 1 Novices’ Chases, all of which require a minimum rating to participate.
Adjustments have also been made to the Junior National Hunt Hurdles programme. The start of the Junior NH Hurdle season has moved to the beginning of November (from October) to allow trainers more time to develop these horses at home. The number of races for the season will remain the same.
A penalty for a win in a Junior NH Hurdle will not be carried into other race types in future, except in other Junior NH Hurdles and in Class 1 races. This includes in Juvenile and Novices’ Hurdle races during the same season, but winners will still lose their maiden status over Jumps.
Non-winners of Junior NH Hurdles will be permitted to drop back to ‘Junior National Hunt Flat races’, three-year-olds only before the end of the year or four-year-olds only after 31st December, run until the end of the season.
In addition, several changes have been made to the Go North Series, which culminates in Finals weekend at Kelso, Musselburgh and Carlisle racecourses in late March. The Go North Series provides meaningful end-of-season targets for connections and this season’s series Finals will be run for increased minimum values, with a prize fund of at least £40,000 (€45,700) per race.
A new ‘Forgive ’n ’Forget’ Novices’ Handicap Chase Series will have Class 4 and 5 Novices’ Handicap Chases qualifiers and the Final will be run over 2m 5f 133y (4200m) at Kelso. A new ‘Night Nurse’ Handicap Hurdle Series will have qualifiers made up of Class 2-4 Juvenile and Novices’/Maiden WFA Hurdle races, and the Final will be for four-year-olds and up and run over 2m 3f 171y (3800m) at Musselburgh.
France - 48H Jump Weekend
The Jumps Weekend concludes the season at Auteuil on November 15th and 16th, with 15 races over two days - eight over hurdles and seven steeplechases including four Grade 1 races.
The programme includes the Gr.1 Prix Renaud du Vivier, a 3900m (2m3f) hurdle for four-year-olds with a purse of €280,000 (£245,000). The €363,000 (£317,000) Prix Serge Landon Hurdle over 4800m (3m) for five-year-olds up; the €355,000 (£310,500) Prix Maurice Gillois Steeplechase over 4400m (3m2f) for four-year-olds; the €278,000 (£243,000) Prix Cambacérès Hurdle over 3600m (2m2f) for three-year-olds and the €580,000 (£507,000) Prix La Haye Jousselin over 5500m (3m4f) for five-year-olds up.
