International Federation of Horseracing Authorities

The in-person 2022 Longines World Racing Awards will be held at Banqueting House in London, England on Jan. 17, 2023, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) announced on Friday. The 10th edition of the ceremony will honour the highest-rated horses in the 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings as well as the Longines World's Best Horse Race. Connections of the winners will receive Longines timepieces. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races. The highest-rated race...

The 56th International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Conference was held Monday in Paris and the focus was on key challenges and opportunities, including the issues of integrity and fan engagement, facing the industry around the globe. "Integrity lies at the foundation of our sport and must inform every decision that we make," said IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. "The pandemic has inherently changed the way that fans and punters enjoy and participate in horse racing. A good digital customer experience is key, and the general trend of digital evolution further...

The International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will return as an in-person event in Paris, France on Oct. 3. Held virtually for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference's topics to be covered include the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) in the United States, broadening horse racing's appeal globally, addressing climate change through sport, and lessons learned from the pandemic. "As the first in-person conference in three years, this event convenes at a critical junction of our...

The Laboratory of Racing Chemistry, Japan (LRC) is now the sixth fully appointed IFHA Reference Laboratory following the approval of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Reference Laboratory Appointment Committee (RLAC). The LRC was granted a provisional appointment as an IFHA Reference Laboratory in July of 2021, and its on-site assessment took place in June of 2022. "I want to commend the Laboratory of Racing Chemistry for its hard work, diligence and patience in becoming an IFHA Reference Laboratory," said Reference Laboratory Appointment Committee (RLAC) Chair Andrew Harding. "This...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter) was named the Longines World's Best Racehorse of 2021 during a virtual ceremony of the Longines World Racing Awards presented from the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England on Tuesday. Also during the ceremony, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe--won last year by Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger})--was announced as the Longines World's Best Horse Race of 2021, and Ryan Moore was celebrated as the Longines World's Best Jockey. The 6-year-old Knicks Go earned a rating of...

The 2021 Longines World Racing Awards ceremony will be held virtually on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. GMT. The show, which will be hosted by Francesca Cumani from the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket for the second straight year, will honour the Longines World's Best Racehorse, the Longines World's Best Horse Race and the Longines World's Best Jockey of 2021. Ryan Moore has already been revealed as last year's World's Best Jockey, while the other award winners will be revealed during the event. The IFHA's annual list of the...

The Longines World Racing Awards will be held virtually for the second straight year on Jan. 25. The Longines World's Best Racehorse and World's Best Horse Race will be revealed during the ceremony, and Ryan Moore, the 2021 Longines World's Best Jockey, will be honoured. The ninth edition of the ceremony will be released on multiple digital platforms including the social media accounts of Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, which collaborate to organise the event.

Full fields. Harmonized rules. Modernized wagering systems and protocols. Transparent officiating. Can these be the future of North American horse racing, and of the greater sport around the world? "Our customers, the bettors, must be at the center of everything we do," Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF) last week. "This approach applies to everything we do as a sport. Customers must be satisfied with our approach to horse welfare, to harmonizing betting rules, interference rules, the race schedule we...

Ryan Moore has won the title of 2021 Longines World's Best Jockey with 112 points. He was a previous recipient of the award in 2014 and 2016. This year, Moore won six qualifying races-from the world's top 100 Group or Grade 1s--aboard five different horses in four countries. His qualifying races are as follows: Longines Hong Kong Vase (Mogul {GB}), G1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (Extravagant Kid), Prince of Wales's S. (Love {Ire}), Diamond Jubilee S. (Dream of Dreams {Ire}), Coral-Eclipse (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), and Irish...

The Niarchos Family was awarded the 2021 Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit at Del Mar during the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Champions on Friday, Nov. 5. Started in 2013 by Longines and the IFHA and given to horsemen and horsewomen who make lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing, the award was accepted by Maria Niarchos-Gouaze on behalf of her family. More than 125 Group or Grade 1 winners have been bred and/or campaigned under their banner, and they have been long-time supporters of the Breeders' Cup. Representatives from Longines,...

Saudi Arabia's $20-million Saudi Cup has been awarded Group 1 status beginning in 2022 it was announced during Monday's virtual meeting of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). The move follows the promotion of both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain from Part III to Part II of the ICS Book by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC). In addition, the Neom Turf Cup, Saudi Derby, STC 1,351 Turf Sprint, Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Red Sea Turf, as well as Bahrain's Bahrain International Trophy...

The 2021 International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will be held virtually for the second year in a row on Oct. 4. This year's focus will be on global racing's evolution and future challenges, with the conference digitally released on Oct. 7. New IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges will give the keynote speech, as well as several panel discussions. Some of the topics to be covered in this year's conference include: digitalisation and media; equine welfare; and climate change and sustainability. Rishi Persad...