The Howden Neom Turf Cup will offer $3 million in prize money in 2026

The announcement was made by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, which also confirmed that the Listed Tuwaiq Cupwill double its purse to $1 million

Shin Emperor, winner of the most recent edition of the Neom Turf Cup / JCSA

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Special to Turf Diario).— King Abdulaziz Racecourse has once again reshaped the international racing landscape. The Howden Neom Turf Cup, Saudi Arabia’s newest Group 1 event and the country’s first top-level race staged on turf, will carry a USD $3 million purse in 2026, a 50% increase on its most recent running. The announcement was made by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, further underlining the growing ambition behind the Saudi Cup (G1) meeting, set to take place on February 14.

Run by invitation over 2100 meters, the Neom Turf Cup is open to Northern Hemisphere 4-year-olds and up, and Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds, and while it was introduced just six seasons ago, the race has already assembled a roll of honor of notable international depth.

This year’s edition was captured in authoritative fashion by Shin Emperor (Siyouni), the Japanese star who defeated Calif (GER) and the ultra-consistent Al Riffa (FR), winner of the Irish St Leger (G1) and later fourth in the Hong Kong Cup (G1). Twelve months earlier, the trophy went to Spirit Dancer (GB), racing in the colors of Sir Alex Ferguson, while the 2023 renewal produced a standout performance from Mostahdaf (IRE), who dominated by seven lengths before going on to land both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International (G1).

The Neom Turf Cup boost was not the only major headline. On the same Saudi Cup card, the Tuwaiq Cup (Listed)—contested over 1800 meters on dirt—will also receive a significant uplift, with its purse doubling from USD $500,000 to USD $1 million. The enhancement makes the race an even more attractive target for both local and international contenders. Entries for the Tuwaiq Cup, run under the same age conditions as the Neom Turf Cup, will close on February 2, 2026.

Meanwhile, nominations for the 2026 Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race, close today, confirming that preparations for the next edition of the Riyadh showpiece are already well underway.

With expanding purses, increasingly prestigious races, and a program that continues to balance elite dirt and turf competition, Saudi Arabia is steadily cementing its position at the heart of the global racing calendar—promising, once again, a world-class spectacle at the very top level.