By Bashir Bello
The Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria, HRFN, says with the introduction of starting gate in its horse racing, the country is positioning itself for global competition.
The source reports that the National Coordinator of the Federation and Sarkin Dawakin Nupe, Mustapha Abubakar-Bida, stated this at the commencement of the Kano derby competition.
Abubakar-Bida said the initiative, which is the global standard and benchmark for horse races across the world, would ensure fairness as well as global rating.
He said that with the use of the starting gate, first ever in the history of the country, shows that Nigeria is growing in the derby and gaining fame.
“What it means is that Nigeria has come of age in terms of global competition. At least our racing can be judged, like any other race in the world.
“The starting gate signifies that all the horses are starting at the same time. That is the only way you can get all the horses to start at the same time. That has indicated fairness and also a global rating.
“So, Nigeria is growing by the day. We are becoming more known, both nationally and internationally. I can tell you now, this race has a global audience. We are being watched all over the world.
“This is a departure from the past, that races are just considered to be a local affair. What we are doing here is being seen all over the world, and it’s being rated as part of a global ranking for Nigeria,” he said.
On the Kano derby event, the National Coordinator said it would feature not fewer than 20 races from different categories of horses.
He said it would start with the Arewa local breed, Niger breed, the Talon horses (from Chad and Cameroon), as well as the Sudan horses and the Toro bred that have been imported from Sudan and Argentina respectively.
Abubakar-Bida added that a cumulative prize of about N50 million in cash and also about seven brand new cars are to be won by the participanting horses.
The competition with the theme, Renewed Hope International Horse Racing Derby 2026 scheduled for Wednesday to Saturday, featured nine races in its opening day.
One of the highlight was the race 01 under Division IV Naija breed Dukusai (4F – 800M) – Sarkin Karaye’s cup which saw Abba, from S.D stable of Niger, emerging first position.
In race 2, Jan Wuya and in race 3A, Share Hawaye, won the first position in Late Alhaji Hassan Naif memorial cup and Late Malam Aminu Kano memorial cup respectively.
Similarly, Zarah from Alhaji Tajuddeen Dantata stable of Kano in race 08 clinched the first position in the Late Alhaji Isiyaka Rabiu memorial cup.
In race 04, Masha Allah from Salele Hammani of Niger Republic and in race 05, Frankel from Sarkin Fulani Dambo stable of Katsina won first position in Alhaji Kaloma Ali memorial and Late Bala Manzo memorial cup’s respectively.
