In welcoming the participants and guests at the race, the President expressed confidence that the event will show what today’s horse breeders have accomplished and serve as a symbol of the renaissance of the international prestige of the Russian school of horse racing. Vladimir Putin wished all participants luck and the will to win, and hoped that the spectators would have a vivid and unforgettable experience.
The competition was attended by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and the Minister of Agriculture Aleksei Gordeev, as well as various leaders of Russian regions.
The total prizes for the President’s races amount to 7 million rubles. Competing for them were pure bred three-year-olds from various regions of Russia and CIS countries. A horse named Ters won the main race for the President’s Prize.
The President of Russia’s Prize was established in 2004 by the Ministry of Agriculture. The first races took place 3 June 2004 at the Central Moscow Horse Racing Track. The next races took place on 27August 2005 at the International Horseracing Complex in Kazan in conjunction with the celebration of the city’s millennium anniversary. The third races were again held in Moscow at the Central Moscow Horse Racing Track in 2006.