Veterinary Innovation Safeguards International Competition At The Highest Level
The Digital Revolution Transforming Equine Care At The Saudi Cup
When top-quality, successful racehorses from across the globe converge on Riyadh's King Abdulaziz Racetrack for The Saudi Cup, the world's richest horse race, an intricate web of veterinary protocols springs into action behind the scenes. Gone are the days when a quick visual inspection and a stethoscope was sufficient to clear elite racehorses for competition. Today's premier racing events operate with cutting-edge diagnostic technology, real-time data analysis, and digitised monitoring systems.
Leading this transformation is Dr Toby Koenig, Director of Veterinary Services for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA), whose journey from a veterinarian in Sydney to a key architect of Saudi Arabia's regulatory racing veterinary standards reflects the sport's evolution.
"Like many, I was drawn to animals and the veterinary profession from a young age," he reflects. However, prior exposure came through his mother's family farm in New South Wales.
"What captivated me was the athleticism of the horse, in particular, the racehorse; and that fascination with the equine athlete has stayed with me ever since."
After specialist training and regulatory roles with Racing New South Wales and South Australia, he joined the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia in early 2024, where he 'sought to make a broader and more lasting impact on the integrity and welfare standards of the industry.'
Here, Dr Toby Koenig, in an exclusive interview, shares insights into the sophisticated veterinary operations that make The Saudi Cup possible.
Inside The Saudi Cup Raceday Veterinary Operations
What unique health challenges do you encounter with horses travelling to Riyadh from different continents to compete in The Saudi Cup and how do you address concerns about acclimatisation?
Although Saudi Arabia is known for its heat, international races are held during the milder months in Riyadh; February can be quite cool, especially overnight. The challenges are less about temperature extremes and more about biosecurity, travel fatigue, and ensuring horses arrive in a condition suitable to race.
We address this through proactive communication well in advance of travel. Regulatory processes begin weeks and even months before a horse even steps on a plane, and our team works closely with connections to provide clear expectations. The key message is that we are here to facilitate safe and fair competition, not to obstruct participation, but to ensure that when horses do compete, they do so safely and appropriately.
Could you walk us through your typical pre-race examination protocol? What are the key things you’re looking for when assessing horses before they compete?
I always return to three core principles: animal welfare, jockey safety, and confidence in the integrity of competition. Our pre-race processes are designed to ensure that every horse is suitable to race on the day; not only able to compete, but to do so to the best of its ability.
For an event like The Saudi Cup, the process is extensive. We consider medication declarations and veterinary records, and apply both objective and subjective gait analysis, along with regulatory veterinary inspections at designated points. The aim is not to catch anyone out, but rather to maintain a consistent and transparent framework where fairness and welfare are at the forefront.
The Saudi Cup meeting has implemented digitalised record-keeping for all horse medical histories, drug usage, and induction times. How has this standardisation improved your work, and what benefits have you seen in terms of international collaboration and horse welfare monitoring?
The digitalisation of veterinary documentation has allowed for far more efficient and transparent monitoring. International connections are generally well-versed in such systems, which helps smooth the process on arrival. Our systems support a multifactorial approach, encompassing declarations, medication monitoring, objective gait analysis, and independent inspections.
This has had a positive impact on collaboration, but also on accountability. If our work never makes it into the press, it means the systems have done their job and allowed the horses to be the focus. Quiet success is often the goal in regulatory veterinary medicine.
How has diagnostic technology evolved in recent years to help you assess racehorse health and fitness, particularly during high-stakes events?
There have been some impressive developments in recent years, particularly around objective locomotor analysis. Our implementation of this technology in the past 12 months has been a turning point. We are now able to longitudinally assess movement patterns, receive remote submissions from overseas jurisdictions, and review data collectively as a team. The applications extend well beyond a single race meeting and provide a useful layer of objectivity in complex decisions. This is a rapidly evolving space, and I suspect we are only beginning to scratch the surface.
What specific considerations do you take into account when examining horses competing on The Saudi Cup dirt/ turf track versus other surfaces the horses might be trained on?
Our regulatory approach is the same regardless of the surface. We adjudicate consistently and in accordance with the Rules of Racing, whether it is a domestic maiden or the Gr.1 Saudi Cup. Naturally, certain injuries or locomotor patterns may be more likely on one surface over another; but our goal is consistency and fairness in decision-making, not tailoring the standard depending on the race or surface.
Could you describe a particularly challenging case you’ve dealt with during a Saudi Cup meeting and how you approached it?
Each Saudi Cup meeting brings its share of challenges – the scale, the scrutiny, and the international attention all heighten the stakes. Without delving into specific horses, the key is consistency. We apply the same protocols and objective assessments throughout the year, and this familiarity gives us confidence in our decisions. The addition of objective tools such as digital gait analysis helps support those decisions, particularly in situations that require firm and timely calls.
How do you balance the pressures of having to make swift decisions about a horse’s fitness to race with the responsibility of ensuring animal welfare?
It is a significant responsibility. But in many ways, this is the essence of regulatory veterinary work; making high-stakes decisions under time pressure, sometimes with limited information. The balance lies in having a robust and repeatable framework for decision-making. When a horse is deemed unsuitable to race, it is never a decision taken lightly, but the priority must always be the welfare of the horse, the safety of riders, and the fairness of the sport.
What role do you play in post-race examinations, and how do these differ from pre-race assessments?
Post-race assessments are often reactive – triggered by stewards for performance issues, by connections with a concern, or in the unfortunate event of an incident. While I oversee these as part of my role, we are fortunate to have a dedicated team of experienced regulatory veterinarians on course at all times. Our role is to thoroughly investigate concerns and accurately document our findings, always with the goal of improving understanding and outcomes in the future.
Looking ahead, what developments in equine veterinary medicine do you think will have the biggest impact on international racing events such as The Saudi Cup?
The explosion of interest in wearable and remote monitoring technology will be a defining feature of the next decade. The potential to gather meaningful, longitudinal datasets and improve early detection of risk factors is substantial. This is an area still in its infancy in racing terms, but one that is growing rapidly. It is exciting to be involved at a time when the foundations are being laid for what could be a step change in equine welfare and injury prevention.
