Aomori City sets sights on Gold Cup in capital

Aomori City bids to strike in the newest addition to the UAE calendar as takes on a deep international field in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup on Saturday.

Run over a mile, the $1m Listed contest has attracted contenders from Japan, the UK, Ireland, France and Qatar in addition to a powerful contingent of locally trained runners.

Aomori City has already run well on the international stage for Charlie Appleby, winning the G2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood in 2024 prior to strong efforts in defeat in both the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Given a break following a rare disappointing effort in last season’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the son of Oasis Dream made a promising return to action in the G2 Zabeel Mile in early January, in which he stayed on to take second behind Quddwah.

Charlie Appleby said: “Aomori City came out of the Zabeel Mile well and has stepped forward for the run. He is a neat, sharp horse, so I think he should handle the track at Abu Dhabi, although he has to contend with a wide draw.”

Stablemate Royal Power returns from a year layoff in the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship on the same card. The son of Frankel put up strong performances on both his Meydan appearances last season, notably beating subsequent G1 winner El Cordobes in the Vazirabad Handicap.

Appleby said: “Royal Power is coming into this off a break but this 12-furlong trip suits and he seems to like quick ground. His preparation has gone well, which should hopefully put him in good stead.”

The feature race has attracted a high-calibre field of international contenders, including Strauss, trained by Ryo Takei; Witness Stand, under the guidance of Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole; Holloway Boy, trained by Karl Burke; Comanche Brave, trained by Donnacha O’Brien; Maljoom, under Michael Costa; and Jonquil, trained by Andrew Balding.

While the Gold Cup is a permanent fixture of the club’s seasonal calendar, this year marks a defining milestone as the event introduces a new world-class Listed Thoroughbred race.

This development signifies the first time Abu Dhabi has entered the international Thoroughbred market at this level of global exposure.

The landmark race of the day is the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup, a Thoroughbred Listed race featuring a prestigious $1,000,000 prize purse, making it one of the world’s most valuable Listed Thoroughbred races.

The winner of the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup will receive a $1,000,000 share of the total purse and secure an automatic berth to the $1 million Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, further reinforcing the race’s international significance.

Demonstrating a long-term commitment to the sport, Abu Dhabi Turf Club and Adnoc have signed a strategic three-year partnership, naming Adnoc as the official sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup for three consecutive editions from 2026 to 2028, and Presenting Partner of race 7, the $1 million race.

Etihad also joins as official sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup 2026 and serves as the Presenting Partner of race 1. Ali Al Shaiba, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Abu Dhabi Turf Club and President of the Organising Committee, commented: “The Abu Dhabi Gold Cup is a testament to the emirate’s evolution as a world-class sporting destination. By introducing a million-dollar Listed Thoroughbred race to our historic program, we are creating a global platform that merges our deep-rooted equestrian traditions with international excellence.