The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), chaired by Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah, has released its domestic racing schedule for the 2026-2027 season, outlining a comprehensive 70-race programme spanning the Al Rayyan and Al Uqda racecourses. The season is set to commence on October 14 at Al Rayyan with the Al Ghariyah Cup meeting, followed by the Al Hamla Cup on October 15. The opening day will feature races on the dirt track, with turf racing scheduled the following day. The campaign will conclude on April 15 with the End of Season Cup, also hosted at Al Rayyan.
Racing at Al Uqda will begin on November 14 with the Al Noof Cup, marking the 11th fixture of the season. Initially, events will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays; Saturday races will be introduced contemporaneously with Al Uqda’s involvement. The programme details prize money allocations, cup races, and race conditions across various divisions, featuring significant participation from local owners, trainers, and jockeys.
A highlight of the upcoming season is the HH The Amir Sword Festival, scheduled from February 10 to 13, 2027, at Al Rayyan. The event will extend over four days for the second consecutive year, with the initial two days on dirt and the latter two on turf. The festival’s marquee Thoroughbred race, the HH The Amir Trophy, has been elevated from international Group 2 to Group 1 status by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. This promotion underscores the continued prominence and development of Qatari racing on the global stage.
Additional upgrades at the festival include the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup’s elevation to Group 3 from Listed status, while the Dukhan Sprint Cup and the Al Rayyan Mile have been promoted to Listed races. The festival’s finale will feature the Group 1 HH The Amir Trophy for Thoroughbreds and the Group 1 PA HH The Amir Sword for Purebred Arabians, the latter serving as the concluding leg of the Doha Triple Crown. Both races offer purses of $2.5 million, the highest in the QREC calendar.
The festival will also include several key races introduced previously and carried forward into this edition. These include the Qatar International Thoroughbred Handicap Cup, open to international competitors, the Local Purebred Arabian Middle Distance Cup, and the Thoroughbred Dirt Sprint Cup, reflecting a blend of international and local competition.
Beyond the festival, the season encompasses prominent fixtures such as The Late Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani Trophy, the Qatar Derby, the Qatar Oaks, the Guineas and Barzan Cup Day, the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Trophy, the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle, the HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy, and the Qatar Gold Sword and Trophy.
The announcement follows the conclusion of QREC’s international sponsorship activities during the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend. Domestic attention now shifts to Al Rayyan and Al Uqda, where top-tier racing is anticipated amid strong engagement from owners and trainers. The club emphasizes the ongoing development of Qatari jockeys, who will compete alongside elite international riders throughout the season as part of QREC’s commitment to nurturing local talent and raising competitive standards.