G1 Saudi Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dettori Named World Pool Ambassador

Frankie Dettori, who is riding his final season in 2023, has been named a World Pool ambassador.

The partnership will see the Italian write regular blogs and content in advance of World Pool racedays this year, beginning with the second day of the $30.35-million Saudi Cup meeting on Saturday, which features the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, and five Group 3 contests.

Dettori, who is riding 2022 Saudi Cup runner-up Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the 1800-metre Group 1, said, “I've got a lot of different places to visit on my final year in the saddle, so it's great to be working with World Pool who have also increased their reach to other countries and racetracks in 2023. From The Saudi Cup to Dubai and then onto all the major days in the UK and Ireland, it will hopefully be a very exciting season for all of us.”

Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director Wagering Products of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, added, “Having Frankie on board as a torchbearer in the final year of an incredible career is absolutely brilliant for World Pool. It's a huge year for Frankie and it's the same for World Pool after a record breaking 2022, and we couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with a global icon who has done so much for the sport of horse racing.”

For more information on the World Pool, please visit their website.

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Songline And Geoglyph Hold Strong Chances In Saudi Starts

Defending G3 1351 Turf Sprint heroine Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) is primed for a big effort in the 2023 edition, according to regular rider Christophe Lemaire.

“I rode her this morning and she looks in great condition,” he said on Wednesday. “I am very happy with her and so is her trainer. She will be the one to beat again this year, I think.”

Fifth in the G1 Victoria Mile after her Riyadh heroics in 2022, the Sunday Racing colourbearer claimed the G1 Yasuda Kinen by a neck over Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) in June. She was last seen running fifth in the G2 Centaur S. at Chukyo over six furlongs on Sept. 11.

“Songline has shown some good form and some bad since winning here last year,” he added. Coming back from Saudi, she produced some very good results. In the autumn she had an issue and could not perform well. It looks like she is all fine from what I have seen and I hope she will race as well as last year.”

Lemaire's other mount on Saturday is Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong), who is set to contest the day's feature race, the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup.

“He has a lot of potential,” said Lemaire. “It is hard to predict how he will react on this new surface, but in terms of quality, he has a good chance.

“I have not ridden him on dirt yet and will not until Saturday. I give all my trust to the trainer and the staff. He is by Drefong, an American horse, so we expect him to run good and to adapt to the surface.

“It is always a big change for the horses. He is a Grade 1 winner in Japan and he beat Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), which is the new superstar in Japan, so it shows how good Geoglyph is and if he likes the ground, the surface, I think he will cause a big surprise.”

A winner of the G3 Sapporo Nisai S. as a juvenile, the colt won the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama last April, defeating the aforementioned Equinox. Unplaced behind Equinox two starts later in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October, he was sixth in the G1 Hong Kong Cup over 2000 metres on Dec. 11.

He added, “He travelled to Hong Kong, so it is always a good experience for horses to travel. It will be his second travel in a couple of months, but he is an easy horse and can adapt.

“In Hong Kong he was a bit unlucky in the race and he did not show his best, but hopefully on Saturday he will show people what he is able to do.”

The jockey, who won four races on the card last year, was also very complementary of the dirt surface in Riyadh, and said, “I agree that this is the best dirt track in the world. There was a little change between the first edition of the Saudi Cup three years ago.

“It looks like the ground is now a little bit deeper than it was before, but the quality of the sand is still good. It is a little bit different. It looks a little bit tougher for the horses to finish quick. The Saudi Cup winner came from behind last year. I think it looks like more of a front-runners' track now.

“It is a little between the very quick American dirt and the deeper dirt track in Japan for example. We are somewhere in the middle. Both American horses and Japanese horses can adapt to this track.”

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Missed The Cut In Good Form In Advance Of Saudi Test

Listed winner Missed The Cut (Quality Road) is pleasing trainer George Boughey in advance of a try in the G3 Neom Turf Cup on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday.

“He has come a long way in a short space of time,” said the trainer, who saw the son of Quality Road breeze on the Riyadh track ahead of the extended 10-furlong test on Saturday.

“There was a rapid rise through the summer last year, possibly too much too soon when we took him out to France for a Group 2.

“We are just taking our time with him. He comes here in super shape, so we are looking forward to it.

“His last run is obviously good form. Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) has taken his form to a whole different level on the dirt at Meydan and this is a whole different kettle of fish.

“It is a tight 10 1/2 furlongs around the turf on Saturday. He has plenty of pace and he should go pretty well.”

A winner at Royal Ascot in 2022, the 4-year-old entire was fifth in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano in August and defeated subsequent dual Group 2 winner Algiers by a short head in the Listed Churchill S. over the Lingfield all-weather on Nov. 12.

“He is a very good-looking horse and he's only sort of furnishing now,” added Boughey. “He was very raw last year and his demeanour has improved. His behaviour is better and he is certainly going the right way. I hope he can be a flag-bearer for the yard. He has got to go and do it on the world stage and his work is getting that way.

“I think he could be versatile ground and trip-wise. He has got a dirt pedigree as well, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him step onto an all-weather surface in the pretty near future.”

Missed The Cut, who will have former champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the irons on Saturday, races for Babington, St Elias & Hudson as well as co-owner Lane's End Farm.

“We will take one step at a time, but he has a top-side dirt pedigree and we will certainly be exploring that soon, whether it will be in Dubai or America. He is obviously part-owned by Lane's End Stud and that will be where we want him to end up [in America].

“He has got to go and prove it. He is a stakes winner now, but is certainly going the right way. We have had a bit of a headache through his career so far with jockey changes.

“Oisin is a world-class rider and I think we might be able to get a bit of consistency with him. He doesn't, at the moment, have a top-class 10-furlong horse to ride this year, so it would be good to nail him down and hopefully they can create a good bond together.”

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Algiers Primed For Dubai World Cup Bid, Will Avoid Saudi Cup Trip

Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal), the winner of the first two rounds of the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1/R2 this season, will be aimed at the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at the end of March and bypass a shot at the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 25.

“He won Round 2 very well and the step up in trip on the dirt was no problem, so it's all systems go for the World Cup,” said trainer Ed Crisford, who trains with his father, Simon.

“We took him out of the Saudi Cup as we just felt we'd be better off staying in Dubai and aiming at the big one on World Cup night.

“Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge is on Super Saturday [on Mar. 4], but I'd say we'll swerve that and go straight to the World Cup. He's had two quite good runs in quick succession, so we can freshen him up and ready him for the big night.”

The gelding ran out a 6 1/2-length winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on Jan. 6, the first day of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and he was six lengths clear of Bendoog (Gun Runner) in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 on Feb. 3.

He added of the 6-year-old, who will be ridden by James Doyle, “I think we'll find a lot out next weekend in Saudi in terms of what horses are coming. The Japanese and the Americans have some seriously good dirt horses and I think it'll all come to light after Saudi.

“The World Cup will be a big step up for our horse, but he's the best horse in the UAE at the moment on the dirt and it's hugely exciting.”

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