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Gosden-Trained Mishriff Upsets Charlatan To Win Saudi Cup

The second edition of the Saudi Cup was billed as a battle between Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go and G1 Malibu winner Charlatan, but John Gosden-trained Mishriff, an Irish-bred 4-year-old colt by Make Believe who won last year's G1 French Derby, stole the show on Saturday, running down the Bob Baffert-trained, Mike Smith-ridden Charlatan in deep stretch to win by about one length under 21-year-old David Egan.

Saudi-based Great Scott finished third in the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile dirt race, with Knicks Go fourth after pushing Charlatan throughout and taking a brief lead into the far turn. The Brad Cox-trained Knicks Go was followed by Miguel Angel Silva-trained Sleepy Eyes Todd.

Mishriff paid $41.60 on a $2 wager in American pools for the Saudi Cup.

Mishriff, whose only previous race on dirt came when second in the 2020 Saudi Derby, was winning for the fifth time in nine career starts. He is owned by Prince AA Faisal. Mishriff was beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Japanese-trained Full Flat in the 2020 Saudi Derby, coming into that race off a 10-length maiden score in his third career start as a 2-year-old the previous November at Nottingham in England.

Coming out of the Saudi Derby, Mishriff won a Newmarket stakes in June, then proved 1 3/4 lengths the best in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly July 5. After a G2 stakes victory at Deauville, he finished a disappointing eighth in the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot on Oct. 17. That was last race going into the Saudi Cup.

Charlatan darted to the front from the nine post in the 14-horse field, getting the jump on Knicks Go and Joel Rosario, who broke from the five post. Mishriff settled in just behind the top pair in the run down the backstretch, with Bill Mott-trained Tacitus up close and toward the inside.

Into the turn, Knicks Go poked his head in front, but Charlatan was not finished, re-gaining the lead as the field wound their way around the turn. At the top of the stretch, Knicks Go began to retreat, but Mishriff swung to Charlatan's outside and took dead aim on the leader. Despite running down the stretch on his left lead, Mishriff wore down Charlatan, taking a narrow advantage with 100 meters to run and gradually edged away.

The Saudi Cup was run under unusually cool, damp conditions at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.

This was the second running of what is billed as the world's richest race, offering a $20-million purse, with $10 million going to the winner. The first-place prize money from the inaugural running, won by Maximum Security, has not been paid due to the criminal charges against the horse's trainer, Jason Servis, in the United States that were filed just over a week after his victory in Saudi Arabia. Prince Bandar, head of the Saudi Cup, said in a television interview with commentator Nick Luck he hopes the purse situation will be settled in about six weeks.

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Pink Kamehameha Gives Japanese Trainer Mori Second Straight Saudi Derby Triumph

Pink Kamehameha (JPN) ensured that both Japan and trainer Hideyuki Mori retained the US $1.5 million Saudi Derby sponsored by Al Rajhi Bank with a three-quarters of a length victory over Cowan (USA). The trainer had struck in last year's inaugural renewal with Full Flat.

Away alertly from post eight in the 12-horse line-up, the Japanese-bred son of Leontes, representing jockey Keita Tosaki and owner Hisako Kimura, stalked the pace set by Soft Whisper (IRE), who had the early advantage under Mike Smith. Tosaki never let the leader get too far in front and put that rival away turning into the straight.

The American invader Cowan rallied late between horses to finish second under Joel Rosario for trainer Steve Asmussen, a length clear of third-place finisher New Treasure (IRE) with Frankie Dettori aboard for British trainer John Gosden.

Quotes:

Keita Tosaki, jockey, Pink Kamehameha, 1st: “It was my first ride on him today but he produced a fantastic run even on his first time race over the dirt surface. As he has no issues with the starting gate, he jumped quickly from the gate today. He responded to me well and had a comfortable trip all the way.”

Hideyuki Mori, trainer, Pink Kamehameha: “Everything went perfect today. He showed a very good response to the jockey at the final turn, which was kind of surprising to me. He ran on dirt for the first time, but today's surface with a bit of rain affected track must suit him a lot.”

Joel Rosario, jockey, Cowan, 2nd: “He missed the break. Right when they opened the gate his head was turned, so he lost the break, but he came running. They went very fast up front and he almost got there. It was a good run from him.”

Frankie Dettori, jockey, New Treasure, 3rd: “He ran okay. He hit a flat spot on the turn but he stayed on well.”

Thady Gosden, assistant trainer, New Treasure: “He ran a huge race there. He got a little bit outpaced early on but he kept on well. The Japanese horse is clearly really good and got loose on the lead on the bit but (New Treasure) stayed on well. He has run really well and everyone is really proud of him.”

Ted Voute, racing manager to New Treasure's owner Prince Faisal bin Khaled: “He's been invited to the UAE Derby so we'll see what everyone thinks about that.”

Rest of jockey quotes

William Buick, Rebels Romance, 4th: “Really good run, he's stepped up on his last run in Meydan and considering it was only the fourth run of his life, you have to be pleased.”

Mike Smith, Soft Whisper, 5th: “I'm kind of lost for words, I thought she'd finish but it didn't happen.”

Mickael Barzalona on Meshakel, 10th: “I was never in the race. Normally, he takes me into the race, but today it wasn't happening.”

Cristian Demuro, Homeryan, 11th: “I was going well, but these races are very different to the races we have in France. They went fast and he was a little outpaced when we came into the final bend.”

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Copano Kicking Edges Hard-Luck Matera Sky As Japan 1-2 In Riyadh Dirt Sprint

Japanese horses claimed a one-two in Saturday's US $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint sponsored by Saudi Arabian Airlines as Copano Kicking (USA) overhauled the luckless Matera Sky (USA).

Matera Sky had looked the likely winner for much of the way last year before being collared by the home-trained New York Central and was travelling ominously well at the front under Keita Tosaki.

However, Copano Kicking and William Buick, who was towards the rear of the field and still had lengths to find with 200m to go, found the necessary gears late on to deprive the runner-up by a quarter of a length.

The 6-year-old gelding by Sprint At Last, bred in Kentucky by Reiley McDonald, is a multiple Graded winner in Japan and Buick had come in for the ride after he had partnered another winner for owner Sachiaki Kobayashi when on a short-term contract in the country.

Quotes:

Akira Murayama, trainer, Copano Kicking, 1st: “He is a very talented horse but he's not easy to train, he's temperamental, very edgy and overexcited and he didn't do too much work this week before the race.

“I called the owner before the winner's ceremony, he was very happy, he spoke to William and asked him to ride his horses again in Japan when he comes back. He will go to Dubai, hopefully for the Golden Shaheen. I thought it was going to be a tough race and I'm pleased that we beat last year's winner.”

William Buick, jockey, Copano Kicking: “He was slowly away but I was soon on the tails of the leaders coming into the bend and he picked up really well.”

Keita Tosaki, jockey, Matera Sky, 2nd: “I think Matera Sky ran his race. I thought he won and made revenge as last year's runner up. But he toughed it out.”

Wigberto 'Wiggy' Ramos, jockey, Faz Zae, 3rd: “I'm very happy. That's the way he runs. He starts with the horses then he hangs back, then at the 400m he comes again. Today he was closer than before so I gave him a little break at the 600m and then I kicked. It's been a great meeting for me – I had a winner yesterday and today and I was very happy with this horse.”

Rest of jockey quotes:

Mickael Barzalona, Switzerland, 4th: “I had him in a good position. He travelled well. When he came next to (Matera Sky), I thought we would be close. He just got a little bit tired in the end. He ran a good race and the owner should be happy with that. It would've been better if we would've been third.”

Alexis Moreno, Maypole, 5th: “The race was too speedy. I tried to do my best but you know they bring champions over. My horse ran well.”

Ryusei Sakai, Justin, 6th: “He missed the break and did not have his run.”

Cieren Fallon, Oxted, 7th: “It was obviously an unknown on the dirt. He is by Mayson and has a lovely knee action and he ran well on the soft ground at Ascot so we thought we would give it a go.

“Today he really struggled. He came off the bridle after the first two furlongs, which is very unlike him. He is a horse that travels well, very strong. We came here on the unknown and we chanced it and it didn't pay off. But he will have a great season on the turf back home in England. You never know, the Breeders' Cup on the turf at the end of the year could be on the cards but we are definitely not going to take our chances on the dirt any time soon.”

Mohammed Aldaham, Raaed, 8th: “Too fast. Nice horses, all the horses are good. All of them are Group 1 horses.”

Hollie Doyle, Brad The Brief, 9th: “He jumped and travelled really well, and I was surprised how much pace he showed. The only problem was he hit a flat spot three out (600m) and got a bit disunited, and once they've done that it's hard to recover on the dirt. But he tried, that's the main thing.”

Gavin Ryan, Harry's Bar, 10th: “There was quite a lot of kickback. My horse could never get competitive. There was a strong pace and I was never really in the race.”

Luis Morales, Raucous, 13th: “At least I broke well. The race was so fast. They can run.”

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Gifts Of Gold Outstays The Competition In Red Sea Handicap

Following the victory of sprint star Space Blues (IRE), Godolphin's day in Saudi Arabia just got even better when, at the other end of the distance spectrum stayer Gifts Of Gold (IRE) capitalized on a perfect trip in the Red Sea Turf Handicap to land the US $2.5 million contest by a length and a quarter from Spanish Mission (USA), with fellow Godolphin raider Secret Advisor (FR) running home strongly to take third.

From a sedate early pace, last year's winner Call The Wind (GB) made the early running with the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Gifts Of Gold settling into a handy position under Pat Cosgrave just behind the leaders on the rail in third.

With Mildenberger (GB) contesting the lead with Call The Wind heading into the home turn, Cosgrave switched his mount to the outside to come four wide as the leaders gave way to Making Miracles (GB) making a move through on the inside.

Once straightened for home, Gifts Of Gold was able to unleash a potent sprint kick to surge clear of the leader as Spanish Mission made a determined effort to reel him in, but the 6-year-old son of Invincible Spirit proved just too strong.

One of the lower-profile members of the field at the outset, Gifts Of Gold's victory was the fourth of his career, and the first time he had triumphed beyond 2000m.

Quotes

Saeed Bin Suroor, trainer, Gifts Of Gold, 1st: “This was the plan since January when racing started in Dubai. I thought he would be the perfect horse. He's a big strong horse and he ran well. The pace of the race wasn't that fast and that suited him and he finished the race off really well.

“Pat is good jockey and he has won big races for us in Australia, England and Germany. We're happy. We will take him back to Dubai and maybe he will go for the Gold Cup. I'm sure he will improve some more.”

Pat Cosgrave, jockey, Gifts Of Gold: “That was great. Hopefully we're not finished yet! He was 110 there in a handicap so you have to think he's a horse for the Melbourne Cup maybe next year. He relaxes good and he has that turn of foot which is perfect for Melbourne.”

Ryan Moore, jockey, Spanish Mission, 2nd: “He ran a nice race, you must be happy with that first run of the year. He has won a big one in the past already. The ground is a bit loose now.”

Charlie Appleby, trainer, Secret Advisor, 3rd: “That was a pleasing run. Will (Buick, jockey) said he got a lovely pitch round there. He's a solid campaigner at that trip, and the winner is a good horse on his day, as we know. Great for Saeed, Team Godolphin and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed again.”

Rest of jockey quotes:

Hollie Doyle, Red Verdon, 4th: “It was a real test of his stamina. He travelled around beautifully and he really wanted to do it today, which was great.”

Luis Morales, Making Miracles, 5th: “I had a great trip. Beautiful. He just got a little tired in the last 300m but he ran very well.”

Frankie, Prince Of Arran, 9th: “They went very slowly and I was too far back.”

Jamie Spencer, Mekong, 10th: “They went too slow.”

Olivier Peslier, Call The Wind, 11th: “He was leaning heavily on me during the entire race. He leaned to the right and that is not what he usually does. This is not the horse as we know him.”

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