THE world has a new richest race, with the announcement of the creation of the $20 million (€17.85 million) Saudi Cup, to be run at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on February 29th, 2020.

Details of the contest were announced by Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia, at a launch event in Saratoga this week.

The race will be run over nine furlongs on dirt and have a maximum field of 14 starters. The race will be free to enter and free to run in.

The prize for the winning horse will be $10 million (€8.9 million) with horses down to 10th place sharing another $10 million between them.

The Saudi Cup will be run four weeks after the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, and four weeks prior to the Dubai World Cup at Meydan, meaning that the top horses in training have the opportunity to compete in all three of the most valuable dirt races in the world.

Tom Ryan, former manager of Naas Racecourse, was recently appointed director of strategy and international racing at the Equestrian Club of Riyadh.