The British Horseracing Authority has responsibility for approving the Arab Racing Fixture List each year. The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) is the sole organiser of Arabian Racing in Great Britain, and operates with the support and permission of the British Horseracing Authority. It is responsible for the following activities:

• Regulation – we maintain and develop the regulations for the sport, which are approved annually by the British Horseracing Authority.
• Race Planning – we organise the Fixture List on an annual basis and implement the decisions of our Race Planning Committee.
• Publications – we publish the regulations, racing calendars and all information relating to race meetings.
• Promotion – we are responsible for the promotion of the sport as a whole and of individual race meetings.
• Represent Great Britain – including attending meetings of the International Federation for Arabian Horseracing Authorities.

The Arab Racing season runs from early May until the end of October, and in 2008 will feature 18 race meetings, held at some of the leading racecourses across the country. In addition, a series of between 10 and 12 Single Races will be held on Thoroughbred cards, including the UAE Challenge Derby, which is held on the first day of the July meeting at Newmarket.

Click here to download the 2008 fixture list.

Races are run from 5 furlongs up to 2 miles, and are a combination of Handicaps, Maidens, Conditions events and Group races. There is a series of 6 races open exclusively to Anglo Arabs.

ARO also currently provides opportunities for Thoroughbreds rated below 43 (Flat), below 73 (Jumping), and horses aged 7-y-o and upwards which are unraced, or have at some time raced but have never qualified for a rating. Such horses will be able to compete against Anglo and Partbred Arabs in a series of 24 Open Races, which are run alongside the Arabian Race programme. These are a combination of Handicaps and Conditions races, from 5 furlongs up to 1 mile 6 furlongs.

This programme enables ARO to provide an excellent training ground for young riders who would want to gain race-riding experience before going on to mainstream racing; Jim Cullotty, Ben Hitchcott and Tom Scudamore all raced with ARO since its foundation in 1999.