Riyadh Dirt Sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

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.”

The post Copano Kicking Edges Hard-Luck Matera Sky As Japan 1-2 In Riyadh Dirt Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Team Switzerland Hopes To Neutralize Foes In Riaydh Dirt Sprint

When the winner's enclosure cameras flash in Saturday's $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, the team behind Switzerland is fully prepared to say cheese. Carrying the orange and black colors of HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, the son of Speightstown enters the tough contest as one of the serious players, thanks to a strong score in Meydan's G3 Dubawi on Jan. 21–his third victory at the level and sixth lifetime.

“He came out of the race in great shape,” said Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer to Satish Seemar. “For us, that was only his first run–he was with Doug (Watson) before and obviously Steve Asmussen before that–so I can only say what we've seen from him and he's been very good in the mornings at Zabeel (Stables). He's a superb horse in the mornings and a flamboyant galloper. Mickael Barzalona galloped (breezed) him Monday morning and he was really happy with him. He will ride him in Saudi.”

Last year, the same connections entered Gladiator King–also fresh of G3 success in Dubai–to finish a respectable third in this. Gladiator King was astern Switzerland last out, obviously needing the run, but never seriously challenging his banner-mate when the real running commenced.

“I hope he travels well and everything just goes according to plan,” Seemar continued. “I think there are some tough horses in there, but I really like how Switzerland is doing. The really tough ones could be the Japanese, especially Matera Sky, who is very quick and a class horse. He was second in it last year and was second here in the (G1 Dubai Golden) Shaheen. He's fast and will be on the lead, so if he's let loose, he'll be tough to peg back.”

Strategy will definitely be paramount for the chocolate-brown Switzerland. Quick enough to go to the front, he showed a new dimension when stalking wide and free of sand last out. If he wishes for a replay of that scenario, the post position will be of utmost importance. The barrier draw takes place on Wednesday.

“One thing he doesn't want is cover,” Seemar explained. “If you look at all his winning races in America, he was always on the lead and didn't face a lot of kickback. He tried it here a couple times–to take back behind horses–and it just didn't work out for him. If they're going really fast on the lead, he can hopefully lay off them out of the kickback and come running again like he did at Meydan. The draw is obviously important, as well. I would like to be in the first four somewhere early.”

Having a live contender once again on Saudi Cup Day is quite an accomplishment for UAE's reigning champion training yard, proving once again that Dubai's premier horses can stack up against some of the very best in the world. Maintaining such company remains the goal after Saudi, as well, as Switzerland will surely be turning his watch ahead to Dubai World Cup Day and the $1.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Seemar: “We've been kind of lucky to be in this position. Last year, we had North America in the Saudi Cup and Gladiator King in the (Riyadh) Sprint, who was arguably the best sprinter in Dubai at the time. He got bumped in the race, which I think cost him second place, but he ran really well. The good thing is we've been there once and we know the script. We know what to do and what not to do, so we feel like we are in with a good chance with Switzerland.”

The post Team Switzerland Hopes To Neutralize Foes In Riaydh Dirt Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Saudi Arabian Dirt Likely for Oxted

Group 1 winner Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) is likely for the six-furlong Riyadh Dirt Sprint instead of the 1351 Turf Sprint at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20. A winner of the G3 Abernant S. last June, the bay gelding added the G1 July Cup at Newmarket one month later. After undergoing wind surgery, Oxted resumed with a fifth in the Oct. 17 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S.

“At the moment we are favouring the dirt really because it's six furlongs,” said trainer Roger Teal, whose son Harry will accompany his stable star to Saudi Arabia, at a Saudi Cup press conference. “Obviously, it's an unknown surface for us but because it's a flat six furlongs I think that is where we are going to go. He's a good-moving horse. He likes the top of the ground and handles all sorts of ground.

“He trains on an all-weather surface every day, so I'm just hoping. The reports are very good about the dirt track in Saudi. That gives me confidence. There's not too much kickback apparently. As long as there wasn't going to be tons of kickback, I think we're going to be happy to run him on it.”

He added, “The timing of the race was good for us. It was enough time to give him a break and then prepare him for the season ahead. We can go to Saudi, come back, maybe go to Dubai for World Cup night if things go to plan. We can then prepare for Ascot and another go at the July Cup. We'll be a little bit wiser after the event. He's pretty straightforward and takes things in his stride, but you don't know until you do it. He should be fine.”

Regularly ridden by Cieren Fallon, Jr., the now 5-year-old gelding would reunite with Fallon in Saudi Arabia.

“He definitely gets on so well with the horse,” said Teal. “Hopefully when Cieren's available he can ride him whenever. This horse has got good gate speed. He travels strong. He's got early pace so I think the pace of the race will suit him fine. The pace beat us at Ascot [on Champions Day] last year. There wasn't enough pace for him.”

“Harry will go with him out there,” he added, but was non-committal on his own attendance. “You can't make any firm plans yet, but we'd like to be there if we can. He's pretty much on track. He's been stepping up weekly. We're very happy. We'll just keep tipping away with what we're doing and get him there in good shape.

“If we're allowed to I'm looking to getting him to Wolverhampton just to have one good sprint round the turn because he's never run round a bend. That's another thing we've got to find out about him. He's in good shape. He had a short break after Ascot. He had a month away and came back looking tremendous. He's really blossomed through the winter.”

The post Saudi Arabian Dirt Likely for Oxted appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post