Picture: Abu Dhabi Turf Membership
16 worldwide runners from Europe, Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council declare first prize of $1 million abu dhabi gold cupwill probably be held on the Abu Dhabi Turf Membership on Saturday.
The one-mile turf race is the highest-paying thoroughbred horse race ever held within the emirate.
Maljoum The seven-year-old completed third in his final outing on the G1 Dubai Turf and will probably be aiming for a profitable begin to the 2026 season below new coach Michael Costa.
Jonquil, educated by Andrew Balding from England, will begin from stall 9. The 115-rated miler already has group wins below his belt and is a horse trying to begin the 2026 season robust. Witness Stand, educated by Richard Newland and Jamie Insole, additionally has Group 1 expertise and can line up in Stall 4 on the Abu Dhabi Turf Membership.
“I am pleased to be taking part on this million-dollar race in Abu Dhabi. It is superb,” Newland mentioned. “It is nice to be concerned, there’s nice hospitality and it is a actually thrilling alternative. Our horse has a little bit bit extra to show than the others, however he was excellent on the day.”
Kuduwa and Aomori Metropolis are already displaying good type heading into 2026, having completed first and second respectively within the Zabeel Mile (G2) at Meydan final month. Cudwar, who’s educated by British father and son Simon and Ed Crisford, will get his probability from secure quantity 14, ridden by Michael Barzalona. Common jockey William Buick will as soon as once more be partnered with Aomori Metropolis jockey, educated by Charlie Appleby, and can line up within the neighboring secure No. 13.
“It is all the time nice to enter a race like this with a win behind us,” mentioned Crisford. “He gained very nicely at Meydan, he was very sincere and I hope it is the identical on Saturday. He is usually a really sincere horse. If you do not have lots of tempo you’ll be able to put him in entrance and in case you have sufficient tempo he can slip previous them.”
Crown Board, educated by Jane Chapple-Higham, and Vafortino, educated by Charlie Fellows, will even start their 2026 campaigns with group firms in Dubai, heading from Meydan to Abu Dhabi. The British pair drew at 11 and seven respectively.
One other short-term arrival from Meydan is Chicago Critic, who’s coached by Irish coach John Patrick Marter. The five-year-old, who completed second by a brief size in Group 2 at Dubai Racecourse final month, will line up within the No. 6 stall. French-trained Tumbler completed third in that race, rekindling their rivalry on the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup. The Kingman gelding, educated by Nicolas Collery, is ridden by common jockey Stéphane Pasquier and is a well-liked selection in secure quantity 5.
Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Courageous additionally represented Eire, touring to the United Arab Emirates late final week. He’ll begin from secure No. 12 with Ryan Moore within the saddle.
“It is nice to be right here,” O’Brien mentioned. “The horse had a great season final yr and is ready to deal with a quick monitor and we have been searching for a chance to journey with a four-year-old horse. We have now nice prize cash right here in Abu Dhabi and the logistics of getting a secure in Meydan make issues simpler for us. Ryan Moore instructed us it is a phenomenal monitor and a particularly reasonable monitor so we’re trying ahead to Saturday.”
darkish trooper He gained the celebrated HH The President’s Cup on the Abu Dhabi Turf Membership in December and can compete within the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup in course type. The 6-year-old gelding will characterize coach Alban de Mieur’s Wasnan Racing and can line up on the skin of stall 16.
Strauss represents Japan Coach Ryo Takei was booked to experience by João Moreira, who rode the stallion final time in Australia. This good duo, who traveled only for this race, will begin from stall quantity 10.
“We solely got here to Abu Dhabi for this race,” Takei mentioned. “That is our solely focus. We’re very proud of the draw and searching ahead to competing towards such robust worldwide runners on Saturday.”
The Abu Dhabi Gold Cup is the spotlight of a seven-race program that features group and checklist races for each Thoroughbreds and purebred Arabians. The sector begins with purebred Arabians, that includes the Liwa Oasis (G2) and the $1 million Alanud Traditional (G1).
The ultimate three races on the cardboard are for thoroughbreds, culminating within the centerpiece Abu Dhabi Gold Cup. The victory secures an automated entry into the $1 million Turf Traditional (G1) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, Could 2, giving him a direct path to one in every of America’s most prestigious turf occasions.
| no. | silk | horse/stallion | analysis | Coach/Jockey | final begin | scenario |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maljoum caravaggio | 7.69 | michael costa Silvestre de Souza | 2025 Dubai Turf G1 third place | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 2025 Dubai Turf G1 third place | |||||
| 2 | jonquil Lope de Vega | 7.47 | andrew boulding colin keene | 2025 Breeders’ Cup Mile G1 ninth | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 2025 Breeders’ Cup Mile G1 ninth | |||||
| 3 | Kuduwa kingman | 7.67 | Simon and Ed Crisford Michael Barzalona | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 1st place | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 1st place | |||||
| 4 | comanche courageous Wootton Bassett | 6.12 | Donna O’Brien ryan moore | third place, 2025 Jersey G3 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | third place, 2025 Jersey G3 | |||||
| 5 | Aomori Metropolis oasis dream | 7.09 | charlie appleby william buick | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 2nd place | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 2nd place | |||||
| 6 | witness stand professional eye | 7.09 | Dr. Richard Newland and Jamie Insole Rossa Ryan | fifteenth, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | fifteenth, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | |||||
| 7 | chicago critic night time of thunder | mom Ben Cohen | 2nd place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 2nd place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | |||||
| 8 |  | strauss maurice | Ryo Takei Joan Moreira | I entered | ||
| subsequent race | ||||||
| 9 | darkish trooper darkish angel | Alban de Mieur james doyle | 1st place, 2025 HH The President Cup LS | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 1st place, 2025 HH The President Cup LS | |||||
| 10 | tumbler kingman | Nicholas Callery Stephane Pasquier | third place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | third place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | |||||
| 11 | crown board Lope de Vega | Jane Chapple Higham Billy Loughnen | 4th, 2026 Firebreak G3 | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 4th, 2026 Firebreak G3 | |||||
| 12 | Vafortino new bay | charlie fellows Kieran Shoemark | fifth place, 2026 Jebel Hatta G1 | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | fifth place, 2026 Jebel Hatta G1 | |||||
| 13 | Andreas Vesalius caravaggio | Ahmad bin Harmash conor beasley | 4th place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 4th place, 2026 Al Fahidi Fort G2 | |||||
| 14 | people competition blue level | salem bin ghadiyar Bernardo Pinheiro | twelfth, 2025 HH President Cup LS | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | twelfth, 2025 HH President Cup LS | |||||
| 15 | dioptase new bay | Helal and Tanon Alarawi ray dawson | 4th place, 2026 Handicap | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 4th place, 2026 Handicap | |||||
| 16 | western author Shamardal | Elise Jeanne Patrick Dobbs | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 eighth place | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 2026 Zabeel Mile G2 eighth place | |||||
