Emirates Racing Authority

What Emirates Racing Authority does

Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) is the statutory regulatory body for the UAE horse racing industry, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dubai. It licenses trainers, jockeys, and owners; sets and enforces the ERA Rules of Racing; and coordinates the racing calendar across the country's five racecourses — Meydan, Abu Dhabi Turf Club, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, and Al Ain. The Stewards Panel, chaired by Sam Shinsky (also Head of Integrity and Regulations), conducts inquiries into prohibited-substance findings (including methamphetamine, desmethyl venlafaxine, and strychnine cases in 2025–2026) under Rules 95AAA, 86(ii), and 95D(ii), with testing performed by the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) Equine Forensic Unit.

ERA operates an Azure-hosted digital platform (app-era-web-prod.azurewebsites.net and commslogos.blob.core.windows.net) that consolidates race declarations, form guides, stewards reports, live streaming (Dubai Racing 1), championship standings, jockey suspensions, and searchable participant databases. It also runs the Online Horse Sales Platform in exclusive partnership with Tattersalls Online — the Jebel Ali Horses in Training Online Sale 2026 cleared 30 lots for AED 2,420,300 with 90+ bidders from 10 countries.

Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed, but the operating model combines licensing fees, regulatory fines (AED 25,000–40,000 per violation), race-day prize money (AED 33,000 for maiden races up to AED 300,000 for Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown R3), and commissions on digital horse sales. The 32-employee organization serves licensed industry participants (trainers, owners, jockeys) as primary customers, with the broader racing public as a secondary audience via live streaming and information services.

Name

Emirates Racing Authority

Legal name

Emirates Racing Authority

Website

https://emiratesracing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emirates Racing Authority is the UAE's statutory regulator of horse racing, licensing trainers, jockeys, and owners and coordinating the racing calendar across five racecourses (Meydan, Abu Dhabi Turf Club, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Al Ain) with an Azure-based digital platform and Tattersalls Online horse-sales partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horse Racing Regulatory Authority

NAICS

Racetracks (711212), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Veterinary, Welfare & Anti-Doping Services (MPAEADAJ), Training, Stables & Equine Services (MPAEADAI), Racehorse Ownership, Syndication & Investment Platforms (MPAEADAG)

Keywords

• Horse racing regulation
• Equine integrity testing
• Racecourse management
• Thoroughbred auction platform
• Racing licensing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Emirates Racing Authority is the official regulatory authority for horse racing in the UAE, licensing trainers, jockeys, and owners; coordinating race scheduling across five racecourses (Meydan, Abu Dhabi Turf Club, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Al Ain); conducting prohibited substance testing through the CVRL Equine Forensic Unit; and enforcing stewards' inquiries and disciplinary rulings. The authority also operates an online horse sales platform in partnership with Tattersalls Online and provides live race streaming via Dubai Racing 1.

Product overview

Emirates Racing Authority operates a unified digital platform for UAE horse racing governance and public access. The core offering consists of an integrated racing calendar and racecourse management system covering five UAE venues (Meydan, Abu Dhabi Turf Club, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, and Al Ain), an online horse sales platform powered by Tattersalls Online, live streaming capabilities, championship standings tracking, searchable participant databases (horses, trainers, jockeys, owners), and regulatory services including jockey suspension listings and industry documentation. The platform serves both racing industry participants and the general public seeking race information, results, and purchasing horses through online auctions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Horse Sales Platform Digital auction platform for buying and selling thoroughbred and purebred Arabian horses in training, operated in partnership with Tattersalls Online. Features online bidding, catalogues, and results. Used by horse owners, bloodstock agents, and stables across international markets.
• Live Streaming (Dubai Racing 1)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% clearance rate achieved for Tattersalls Online Emirates Racing Authority Jebel Ali Horses in Training Online Sale 2026 with 30 lots sold for 2,420,300 AED
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tattersalls OnlinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 June 2026Tattersalls Online serves as the exclusive online auction platform for ERA horse sales. The partnership has conducted multiple successful sales including the Jebel Ali Horses in Training Online Sale 2026 achieving 100% clearance rate with 30 lots sold for 2,420,300 AED. Over 90 registered bidders from 10 countries participate in these sales.
• Dubai Racing ClubminorOthersDubai Racing Club is listed as a linked partner organization on ERA's website footer, indicating collaborative relationship in UAE racing operations.
• Abu Dhabi Equestrian ClubminorOthersAbu Dhabi Equestrian Club operates the Abu Dhabi Turf Club racecourse and is listed as a partner organization on ERA's website.
• Jebel Ali StablescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJebel Ali Stables, owned by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, exclusively consigns horses to ERA sales conducted on the Tattersalls Online platform. This is a key partnership for ERA horse sale operations.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Horse Racing Ireland: National authority for horse racing in Ireland, administering licensing, integrity, and race fixtures with stewardship functions parallel to ERA.
• The Hong Kong Jockey Club: Sole-license horse racing operator and governing body in Hong Kong, combining racecourse operations, licensing, integrity, and prize-money administration under a single monopoly authority, structurally similar to ERA's UAE-wide role.
• The Jockey Club (UK): Largest commercial horse racing group in the UK operating multiple racecourses, with stewarding, fixture scheduling, and participant licensing functions overlapping ERA's responsibilities.
• France Galop: French horse racing governing body responsible for licensing, race organization, integrity, and rules across French Thoroughbred and Arabian racing, structurally aligned with ERA's regulatory scope.
• Racing Victoria: Statutory racing regulator for Victoria, Australia, with stewarding, licensing, and race programming authority over multiple metropolitan and regional racecourses.
• British Horseracing Authority: UK statutory regulator and governing body for horse racing, performing licensing, integrity testing, and race-day stewarding functions analogous to ERA's mandate in the UAE.

Regional players

• Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club: State-affiliated racing regulator in Qatar overseeing the Qatar Racing season including high-purse events like the Qatar World Cup, structurally comparable to ERA as a Gulf-region monopoly racing authority.
• Saudi Equestrian Federation: Saudi governing body for equestrian sports including horse racing, administering the Saudi Cup and related fixtures, a regional Gulf competitor to ERA for international participants and prestige.

Others

• Tattersalls: ERA's exclusive online auction partner for horse sales; Tattersalls is the world's leading Thoroughbred bloodstock auctioneer and is directly comparable through its sales-platform and equine-marketplace activities.

Broad incumbents

• New York Racing Association: Operator and steward of major US Thoroughbred racing venues (Belmont, Saratoga, Aqueduct), combining racetrack operations with regulatory-style stewarding functions analogous to ERA's racecourse oversight model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emirates-racing-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emirates Racing Authority