It's the day before, and in Guasila, anticipation is growing for the Palio di Santa Maria 2026, scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, September 20, at the municipal racetrack. After the postponement of the race originally scheduled for mid-August, the event finally returns to the track with an event highly anticipated by the public and horse racing enthusiasts. The event comes after weeks during which the Guasila Equestrian Association worked to find a new date, taking into account the stables' commitments and the jockeys' availability. The mid-August postponement was decided after unexpected and particularly heavy rain made the track impassable and dangerous. "A difficult decision, made for the love of the Palio," explained the president of the Guasila Equestrian Association, Carlo Murru, emphasizing that the priority was ensuring the safety of horses and jockeys. This decision has already been made in similar situations: in 2013, the competition was postponed twice due to bad weather before finally being able to proceed.
The total prize money is €23,800, with €15,000 going to the first-place winner. This significant sum makes the challenge between the horses and jockeys competing for the Municipal Trophy even more prestigious. The format includes qualifying heats over a distance of approximately 1,200 meters, while the final will be held over a distance of approximately 1,800 meters. Speed, endurance, and strategy will therefore decide the winner of one of the most anticipated races on the island's equestrian calendar. Making the day even more special will be the presence of the young riders of the Giara Oristanese Equestrian Club. The young riders will be guests at the event and will entertain the audience between heats with their spectacular pair-riding performances. Ticket holders purchased for August 15th, the date the Palio was originally scheduled to take place, will be able to use the same ticket for the new date, without having to purchase a new ticket. The wait is over: tomorrow, horses and jockeys will return to the track to compete for the title, in front of a crowd that had to miss the August challenge.
