Global showdown awaits in Saudi Cup
RIYADH Excitement is building for the richest horse race in the world with 14 runners chasing the US$20 million (S$26.8 million) Group 1 Saudi Cup (1,800m) at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb 22.
The sixth edition of the Saudi Cup is full of international flavour and fascinating angles as Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior sets out to prove he is as adaptable on the dirt track.
The Danny Shum-trained seven-year-old has proven to be in a league of his own on turf in Hong Kong as a multiple Group 1 winner.
Hailing from Japan, the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Forever Young is a familiar face to those in Saudi Arabia after he claimed an impressive win in the Group 3 Saudi Derby (1,600m) on the same dirt track in Riyadh in 2024.
Romantic Warrior, a son of Acclamation, has drawn favourably in barrier three for his Group 1 assignment. Having walked the dirt track and spent plenty of time surveying the scene, Shum is confident that the recent winner of the Group 1 Jebel Hatta (1,800m) in Dubai will have no problem with the surface.
When Forever Young won in front of Riyadh’s crowd last year, Yahagi’s star did so in dramatic style by getting in front in the final stride under jockey Ryusei Sakai. But if he is to win the bigger prize on Feb 22, the four-year-old son of Real Steel will have to do it from the widest barrier in 14.
Another Japanese runner, Ushba Tesoro, would be hoping to go one better in the Saudi Cup. Trainer Noboru Takagi’s charge was narrowly denied of a victory after running second to Senor Buscador in 2024. The eight-year-old cannot be ignored as he was also the runner-up to Laurel River in the 2024 Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2,000m) after claiming the title in 2023.
Takagi also saddles Wilson Tesoro, who was second behind Forever Young in the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten in December 2024, while third-placed finisher on that occasion, Ramjet, is also back to renew rivalry for trainer Shozo Sasaki, forming a strong Japanese representation in the Saudi Cup.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, Rattle N Roll is another horse with proven winning form at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse and will add fascinating interest to the 2025 renewal.
Decorated American trainer McPeek targeted the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup for Rattle N Roll on Jan 25 and he put up an impressive victory on that occasion. The six-year-old son of Connect is primed for another big showing.
Walk Of Stars arrives in Saudia Arabia in terrific form for Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar. The six-year-old has just won the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge (1,900m) on Jan 24.
He then defeated another Saudi Cup rival, the French challenger Facteur Cheval, who has elite European form and represents trainer Jerome Reynier.
The four-year-old Al Musmak is possibly the best of the Saudi Arabian-trained runners for leading trainer Thamer Aldaihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah.
Al Musmak had a nice winning prep race last month after arriving from the United Kingdom and will be joined by stable companion Wait To Excel, who ran second to Rattle N Roll in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
The 2025 line-up is completed by three starters for owner Muhaideb Abdullah Almuhaideb and trainer Abdulaziz Mishref, with their South American imports El Kodigo and Intense For Me joined by familiar face Defunded, while Wootton’sun, who was third to Rattle N Roll last time, represents trainer Abdullah Al Kahtani.
Kicking off with the US$1.5 million Jockey Club Local Handicap (1,800m) race at 8pm (Singapore time) on Feb 22, the Saudi Cup will be the ninth and last race to be held at 1.40am (Singapore time) on Feb 23. JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA
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