Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 1.0
Racing, often called the sport of kings, revolves around one simple goal: winning.
Owners and trainers are always looking to enter their horses in the most valuable races to maximise prize earnings. With the global racing scene constantly evolving, there are big rewards to be claimed in distant lands.
Below are the seven richest races in the world, ranked by their prize money.
7. Pegasus World Cup ($3m)
The Pegasus World Cup commenced as recently as 2017. It’s run over a nine-furlong distance at Gulfstream Park in Florida and, like many of these mega-rich races, is run on dirt.
So far, the Pegasus has been dominated by American trainers, with Arrogate, Gun Runner, City Of Light, Mucho Gusto, Knicks Go, Life Is Good, Art Collector and National Treasure the winners.
This year, however, Barbados-born Saffie Jospesh clinched the prize with White Abarrio.
Bob Baffert is the only trainer so far to win three times. Prize money has dropped from an initial $12m on the first running – and a peak of $19m – to $3m in 2025.
6. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (€5m)
Europe’s richest race, the Arc was first run in 1920 and is still recognised as Europe’s ultimate middle-distance test. In spite of prize money, it has the sort of history and prestige some of the other races on this list can only dream of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkvxVFx9rKgThere have been eight two-time Arc winners, including Treve and Enable this century, while iconic French trainer Andre Fabre (eight wins) has enjoyed more success than anyone and Frankie Dettori (six wins) is the most successful jockey in Arc history.
5. Melbourne Cup – $8 million
The Melbourne Cup is the pinnacle of Australia’s illustrious horse racing history. Famously dubbed the ‘race that stops a nation’, it is celebrated as a public holiday each year.
Taking place at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, this prestigious two-mile handicap race brings together the world’s finest international stayers and captivates massive crowds, with 84,000 in attendance on race day and 262,000 over the entire four-day festival.
Widely regarded as the world’s best staying race, the annual event at Flemington Racecourse boasts an impressive prize pool of $8 million.
4. The Golden Eagle – $10 million
The Golden Eagle is a new entry to the Australian horse racing calendar. The event is run over seven and a half furlongs at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney, typically at the end of October.
While the Golden Eagle has made an impression in its first six editions, it hasn’t yet achieved the same level of fame as Australia’s marquee races, like the Everest and the Melbourne Cup.
With a staggering $10 million prize pool, the Golden Eagle also donates 10% of its prize money to charity each year.
3. Dubai World Cup ($12m)
Once the world’s richest contest, the Dubai World Cup has been usurped in recent times. Backed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the race was inaugurated in 1996.
It is the culmination of the Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan Racecourse, held each spring, and the World Cup Night card in late March remains one of the richest cards in the world, with the feature race run on the dirt track.
Thunder Snow, winner in 2018 & 2019, is the only two-time World Cup winner, while Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation has won the race nine times and Frankie Dettori achieved a joint-record fourth win via Country Grammer in 2022.
The Dubai World Cup has a $12 million prize pool, making it third in the list of the richest horse races in the world.
2. The Everest ($20m)
In 2017 Australia launched The Everest, a six-furlong sprint at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney aimed at bringing some of the fastest horses in the world Down Under.
It’s a weight-for-age allowance race with a $600,000 entry fee and The Everest is run on turf. It is also the world’s richest flat turf horse racing event.
Redzel won the first two renewals for Kerrin McEvoy and trainers Peter & Paul Snowden, with Chris Waller saddling two of the three winners since – Yes Yes Yes and Nature Strip. Classique Legend won in 2020 marking McEnvoy’s third win, but since then, jockey Craig Williams has picked up two of the four victories.
With a purse of $20 million, it is the richest turf race in the world, held annually at Royal Randwick in Sydney every October.
1. Saudi Cup ($38.1m)
The Saudi Cup only got started in 2020 with a prize pool of $10m but the Riyadh contest has quickly pushed forward to become the richest race in the world – with a prize pool in 2025 of a cool $38.1m. The Saudi Cup takes place at the end of February on dirt and is run over a mile and a quarter.
Maximum Security, Mishriff and Emblem Road won the first three Saudi Cups – the latter causing a major shock when scoring for Saudi-trainer Mitab Almulawah.
