The highly anticipated Premier Champions Cup is set to return to Maun-Samedupi on December 13, 2025, with TT Horse Racing Events promising an even bigger, more competitive and more entertaining spectacle. Representative Timon Kelebeng told this publication that this year’s edition will bring together champions from across the region, strengthening Maun’s growing reputation as a rising horse-racing hub.
Kelebeng confirmed that elite riders and top-performing horses will compete in two major categories: the Thoroughbred class and the beloved Tswana breed class. “We are expecting horses from Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, while the Thoroughbreds will be coming from different well-established stables,” he explained. The event is projected to feature around 70 horses, with each race accommodating 10 runners.
Kelebeng said the Premier Champions Cup has evolved into more than just a sporting event, describing it as “an event that can help entertain and help be therapeutic,” particularly for communities who have embraced horse racing as both culture and recreation. He added that since its inception, the team behind the races “has moved with a unified voice,” and each year has shown noticeable growth in organisation, participation and atmosphere.
Registration for competing horses is ongoing, and the 2400m Grand Race has already attracted an exciting list of expected entrants. Fans can look forward to seeing well-known runners such as Western Bypass, Superjet, Silver Sky, Salvano, High Star, Spanish Guitar, After Shock, Tommy Blom, Montana Sky, and Salt and Pepper battle for supremacy in what is expected to be a fiercely contested final.
This year’s prize pool stands at an impressive P308,000 across various categories, with the Grand Race alone awarding P32,000 to the winner. The race schedule includes Tswana GR1 and GR2 categories, sprints, middle-distance contests and high-stakes Thoroughbred challenges ranging between 800m and 2400m.
The Premier Champions Cup follows a strong foundation laid during last year’s Maun-Samedupi Easter Cup, where Silver Sky, owned by Gothophemang Alone, dominated both the 2400m and 1600m races, becoming a crowd favourite and regional sensation. Western Bypass, Super Jet and Secretariat, all from Motokwe, chased close behind, intensifying the rivalry that is expected to refuel this December.
The 2024 event also highlighted rising competition from Namibia, whose horses topped several distances including the 1200m and 1400m races. Action Time, Extreme Wonder and Falcon delivered standout performances, signaling that regional stables will again be formidable
Despite minor hurdles, last year’s event laid a strong foundation for the Premier Champions Cup, and organisers believe the 2025 edition will surpass expectations. With regional competition intensifying, strong local favourites returning, and infrastructure improvements underway, Maun-Samedupi appears poised to cement its place as one of Southern Africa’s emerging horse-racing destinations.
