SOREC Officially Promotes the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for Purebred Arabian Horses to Group 1 PA Status

El Jadida – The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Horse Breeding (SOREC) officially announced on Tuesday that the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for Purebred Arabian Horses has been promoted to Group 1 PA status, the highest level of international classification for purebred Arabian horse racing.

This announcement was made by Hicham Debbagh, Deputy Director General of SOREC in charge of the Industry Division and Vice-President of IFAHR, during a press conference held as part of the 17th El Jadida Horse Show.

Granted by the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), this distinction recognizes the Grand Prix’s sporting progress and the quality of its performances over the years.

Globally, Group 1 PA status remains highly selective: only 29 races hold this elite designation, spread across just seven countries: France, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and now Morocco.

With this reclassification, the Kingdom joins this select group of nations hosting Arabian thoroughbred races at the pinnacle of the world hierarchy.

This promotion confirms the Kingdom’s central position in the equestrian world: with over 1,000 Arabian thoroughbred races scheduled annually nationwide, Morocco ranks first in Africa and the Arab world, and second globally in the organization of races for this breed.

This promotion crowns a journey of continuous development. Initially classified as Group 3 PA, the Grand Prix took its first step in 2024 by being upgraded to Group 2 PA.

The performances recorded during the 2025 edition confirmed this momentum and allowed the event to meet the rigorous criteria of Group 1 PA, based on the evaluation of the horses’ sporting value (ratings) and the consistency of the level of competition.

To support this development, SOREC has increased the overall prize money for the Grand Prix to €350,000, or 3.8 million dirhams, for the 2026 edition.

The international program of the Morocco International Meeting has also seen another advancement: the Grand Prix of HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan has been upgraded to Group 2 PA, after being classified as Group 3, with a prize purse increased to €200,000, or 2.18 million dirhams.

The Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI will be run for the first time under its Group 1 PA designation on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Casablanca-Anfa racecourse, over a distance of 2,100 meters, as part of the 12th edition of the Morocco International Meeting.

“The Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s promotion to Group 1 PA status is a historic milestone in the history of Arabian thoroughbred racing in Morocco. This recognition from the IFAHR (International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing) testifies to the level achieved by our industry and the quality of the standards we have progressively established. It firmly establishes Morocco among the leading nations in Arabian thoroughbred racing and positions the Grand Prix as a key event on the international calendar,” Mr. Debbagh emphasized.

For SOREC, this international recognition crowns the efforts undertaken for the development of the national equine sector and the promotion of the breeding of purebred Arabian horses, and strengthens Morocco’s influence among the leading nations in purebred Arabian racing.