The Saudi Arabia Royal Cup begins on Oct. 10 in Tokyo, marking the 11th partnership between the Japanese Racing Association and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.
The event was first held under the Saudi banner in 2015, when King Abdullah, then crown prince, presented the trophy at Tokyo Racecourse to the winners.
Since then, the race has come to represent the close sporting and equestrian ties between the two countries. It is open to 2-year-olds and carries a purse of $502,000 over 1,600 meters.