Kano: The Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria, HRFN, has announced that the introduction of a starting gate in its horse racing events signals the country’s ambition to compete on a global level.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mustapha Abubakar-Bida, the National Coordinator of the Federation and Sarkin Dawakin Nupe, highlighted this development during the inauguration of the Kano derby competition. Abubakar-Bida emphasized that the starting gate, a global standard in horse racing, ensures fairness and elevates Nigeria’s status in international competitions.
He elaborated that the use of the starting gate is a notable milestone for Nigeria, marking its debut in the country’s racing history. This advancement signifies that Nigerian horse racing is now able to be evaluated on a global scale, comparable to international standards. Abubakar-Bida remarked, “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 introduction of the starting gate enables all horses to commence races simultaneously, ensuring fairness and contributing to Nigeria’s global reputation. According to Abubakar-Bida, the races are now attracting a global audience, moving beyond being considered merely local events. He added, “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.”
The National Coordinator provided insights into the Kano derby event, which features over 20 races with various horse categories. The competition includes breeds such as the Arewa local breed, Niger breed, Talon horses from Chad and Cameroon, as well as Sudan horses and Toro bred imported from Sudan and Argentina.
Abubakar-Bida also mentioned that participants in the competition stand a chance to win a cumulative prize of approximately N50 million in cash and seven brand new cars. The event, themed “Renewed Hope International Horse Racing Derby 2026,” spans from Wednesday to Saturday and commenced with nine races on its opening day.
Key moments from the event included the Division IV Naija breed Dukusai (4F – 800M) race, where Abba from S.D stable of Niger clinched first place in Sarkin Karaye’s cup. Other notable winners were Jan Wuya and Share Hawaye, who secured first positions in the Late Alhaji Hassan Naif memorial cup and Late Malam Aminu Kano memorial cup, respectively. Additionally, Zarah from Alhaji Tajuddeen Dantata stable of Kano triumphed in the Late Alhaji Isiyaka Rabiu memorial cup, while Masha Allah and Frankel won in the Alhaji Kaloma Ali memorial and Late Bala Manzo memorial cups, respectively.