Hippodrome de Kassar Said

The Hippodrome de Kassar Said is Tunisia's principal horse racing venue, situated in the Kassar Said area of the La Marsa municipality north of Tunis. The track's origins lie in the French Protectorate period (1881-1956), when French colonial administration developed formal thoroughbred racing as part of the wider French equestrian tradition in North Africa — a tradition shared with Morocco and Algeria. The Office des Élevages et des Courses de Tunisie (OECT) administers Tunisian horse racing under the oversight of the Ministry of Agriculture, maintaining the national stud book, licensing jockeys and trainers, and overseeing pari-mutuel wagering operations. The Hippodrome de Kassar Said operates a thoroughbred flat racing programme on its turf oval, with a season concentrated in the spring (March-June) and autumn (September-November) months when Tunisia's Mediterranean climate is most suitable for racing. The summer months — characterised by intense heat in the Tunis region — restrict racing, with the programme shifting toward the cooler coastal venues including Sousse. The Grand Prix du Président de la République is Tunisia's most prestigious race, attracting the country's best horses for the season's flagship event. The Barb horse — an ancient North African breed related to the Berber equestrian tradition that pre-dates the Arab conquest — has a symbolic presence in the Tunisian racing scene alongside the imported thoroughbreds that dominate competitive racing.