The King Mohammed VI Arabian Horse Grand Prix has been promoted to Group 1 PA status, the highest international classification for Arabian thoroughbred races, the Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval (SOREC) announced on Tuesday, October 13.
The announcement was made by Hicham Debbagh, SOREC’s deputy director general in charge of the sector development division and vice president of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), during a press briefing at the 17th El Jadida Horse Show.
Granted by the IFAHR, the classification recognizes the race’s sporting progress and the quality of performances recorded over successive editions.
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Only 29 races worldwide hold Group 1 PA status, spread across seven countries. Morocco now joins France, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Italy in hosting races in this top category.
The promotion reflects Morocco’s standing in Arabian horse racing. More than 1,000 Arabian thoroughbred races are held nationally each year, making Morocco the leading country in Africa and the Arab world and the second-largest organizer of races for the breed worldwide.
The Grand Prix has progressed through the international classifications, moving from Group 3 PA to Group 2 PA in 2024. Performances in the 2025 edition confirmed that progress and enabled the race to meet the strict Group 1 PA criteria, which assess horses’ ratings and the consistency of competition standards.
To accompany the promotion, SOREC has increased the Grand Prix’s total prize money to €350,000, equivalent to 3.8 million dirhams, for the 2026 edition.
The international program of the Morocco International Meeting has also received a boost. The Grand Prix of Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan has moved from Group 3 PA to Group 2 PA status, with its prize money raised to €200,000, or 2.18 million dirhams.
The King Mohammed VI Arabian Horse Grand Prix will be run for the first time under its Group 1 PA classification on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at Casablanca-Anfa racecourse. The race will cover 2,100 meters as part of the 12th Morocco International Meeting.
“The promotion of the King Mohammed VI Grand Prix to Group 1 PA status marks a historic milestone for Arabian thoroughbred racing in Morocco. This recognition by the IFAHR reflects the level our sector has reached and the quality of the standards we have gradually established. It firmly places Morocco among the leading nations in Arabian thoroughbred racing and establishes the Grand Prix as a key fixture on the international calendar,” Debbagh said.
For SOREC, the international recognition rewards efforts to develop Morocco’s equine sector and promote Arabian horse breeding, while strengthening the country’s standing among the leading nations in Arabian thoroughbred racing.
