riyadh | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dettori Picks Up Prince of Arran Ride

Jockey Frankie Dettori will ride Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) in the Red Sea Turf H. at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20.

A three-time placer in the G1 Melbourne Cup, the Charlie Fellowes trainee is doing well in advance of the $2.5-milllion contest. In his latest start, the gelding was third at Kempton in a two-mile synthetic affair on Feb. 6.

“He's in good nick and I'm looking forward to seeing him out there, hopefully the journey goes well,” Fellowes told ITV Racing. “We've got Frankie up, which will be interesting. He's never ridden him before, but you couldn't have a better jockey in the plate. I'm looking forward to it.”

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McGuinness Team Poised for Middle Eastern Assignments

Trainer Ado McGuinness is sending Shamrock Thoroughbreds' Harry's Bar (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) to the $1.5-million Saudi Arabian Airlines Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the $20-million Saudi Cup undercard on Feb. 20. A 75,000gns purchase out of the Tattersalls HIT Sale last October, the 6-year-old gelding saluted in the Listed Belgrave S. on Nov. 6 and took a six-panel contest on Feb. 5, both over the Dundalk synthetic.

“He's in great form,” said McGuinness. “He's come back 100% from his last race, he's cantering away and he's heading out to Saudi on Sunday morning.

“They tell me it's the closest dirt track to an all-weather surface probably in the world. He's an all-weather specialist so hopefully he'll act on it.”

Added McGuinness, “We've only run him twice and the first day when he won the listed race if he had got beat and finished down the field I'd have been called all sorts, because he'd only come out of the sales and run a few days later. We gambled and it worked. He's a very good horse and is enjoying life here.

“His win at Dundalk last week was a very good performance. The handicapper put his turf rating up three pounds after that and left his all-weather mark alone. I couldn't understand that. If he goes back to grass I think he'll be a nice horse for the Wokingham.”

Harry's Bar's stablemate SW Saltonstall (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is also competing on the Saudi Cup card, in a $1-million conditions race after a run at Dundalk on Friday.

“He's heading for Saudi as well all being well,” he said. “He's in really good form after his break. I'm looking forward to getting him out and about. It's not going to be easy in Saudi, but I think he'll run a big race there.”

Rounding out the McGuinness trio is Bowerman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who is targeting a local Qatari Group 2 at Doha.

“Bowerman goes to Doha next week for mile Group 2 on the grass on the Friday night,” said the trainer. “We'd have gone for the bigger race there, only the handicapper dropped him.”

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Hollie Doyle to Take Part in STC International Jockeys’ Challenge

Jockey Hollie Doyle, who celebrated her first Group 1 winner in 2020, will take part in the STC International Jockeys' Challenge in Saudia Arabia later this month.

The Feb. 19 contest features 14 jockeys at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, with Doyle also booked on MGSW Extra Elusive (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for trainer Roger Charlton in the $20-million Saudi Cup the next day.

“I'm really excited to be riding in Saudi,” said Doyle, who also rode her first winner at Royal Ascot last term and competed in the Hong Kong International Jockeys' Championship. “I've had a few international trips recently, including Hong Kong, America and Bahrain, and it's great that I'm getting to go to these big meetings around the world.

“Competing in the jockey challenge events is really cool, because you get to ride alongside some of the world's top athletes. I've only been to some of these places for a short period of time, but I've learnt a lot. That's what will hopefully make me a better jockey, and I'll keep taking these opportunities with both hands.

“Last year was unbelievable, and when you get a taste of success it makes you want it even more. I've now got even more drive and ambition to succeed in 2021.”

Named The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, Doyle is could also potentially team up with Jane Chapple-Hyam's Albadri (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in the Saudi Derby.

“It looks as though Extra Elusive has got into the Saudi Cup, so I'd be really excited about riding him in that on the Saturday,” she said. “The prize-money goes all the way down to 10th, so it would be great if he took his chance there and could get amongst it.

“I'd like to think he'll handle the dirt because he goes well on slow ground here in England. I'm not sure how similar it would ride to a slow turf track, but I'd prefer to ride him on the dirt than I would on the turf as you'd imagine it will be slower. The Saudi Cup is only nine furlongs, and we know he stays further than that.

“I could have Albadri on the Saturday too, because I know Jane Chapple-Hyam is hoping to go for the Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Derby after his win at Southwell recently. He's a lightly-raced horse that's going the right way at the moment, but he'll need to take another big step forward to get competitive.”

“There's been a bit of toing and froing, but he's going to run in the Saudi Cup,” said Charlton. “We got an invite to the Saudi Cup that we weren't really expecting–and having discussed it with the owner [Imad Al Sagar], he's very keen to run in it. The prize-money is so much more than the Neom Turf Cup–if you finish 10th in the Saudi Cup, it's the same prize-money for finishing second in the turf race.

“Over 1800m they'll go very, very quick–and the kickback will be something he hasn't experienced before. We're hoping we can get among the money. In the past he has inclined to be up at the front making the running–this obviously won't be the case, so a wider draw would probably be beneficial to keep him out of the kickback.

“My concern is that he hasn't travelled abroad yet, and he's a fairly highly-strung individual. It's how he takes a 16-hour journey door-to-door and how he handles the training on the track out there. He had a break after the end of last season, and the weather hasn't been very helpful to us–we've had snow here twice. He didn't resume exercise until after Christmas, and it's been a steady build-up. He does all his training by himself, but he seems in good form. It's important that he's in a consistent and steady routine every day.”

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Likely Saudi Cup Day Fields Include 77 Contenders From Overseas

The likely runners for the two-day Saudi Cup meeting on February 19-20 have been announced, with 15 individual Group or Grade 1 winners set to line up.

In total, the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh will host 77 overseas contenders representing 13 different countries from around the world who between them have won 24 Group or Grade 1 contests.

The highlight of the meeting is the $20 million Saudi Cup, and the second staging of the world's most valuable race looks set to feature another crop of star names.

The field could be headed by Brad Cox's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go (USA), who is part of a strong American contingent which includes Grade 1 Malibu Stakes winner Charlatan (USA) and Tacitus (USA), returning for a second tilt at the race and owned by Juddmonte Farms.

Ryuji Okubo's impressive Grade 1 Champions Cup winner Chuwa Wizard (JPN) represents Japan, while John Gosden is likely to saddle Mishriff (IRE) who was second in the Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Derby at this meeting 12 months ago.

A host of other top-class horses look likely to take their spots in Riyadh, with Freddy Head's four-time Group 1 winner Call The Wind (GB) seeking back-to-back victories in the $2.5m Red Sea Turf Handicap, alongside last year's third Prince Of Arran (GB), trained by Charlie Fellowes.

Both the 1200m $1.5m SAUDIA Riyadh Dirt Sprint and $1m stc 1351 Turf Sprint have also attracted a host of well-regarded types.

Group 1 July Cup winner Oxted (UK), trained in the UK by Roger Teal, looks all set to run in the SAUDIA Riyadh Dirt Sprint, where he could take on Yoshito Yahagi's Justin (JPN) – the earner of an automatic spot in the race after winning the Grade 3 Capella Stakes in December.

The stc 1351 Turf Sprint is another race that has attracted a strong field, with last year's winner Dark Power (IRE), trained in Bahrain by Allan Smith, back to defend his crown. He'll face a strong challenge again this time around with Charlie Appleby's Space Blues (IRE), the winner of his last four races, including most recently in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, as well as Joseph O'Brien's Speak In Colours (GB) both expected to line up.

Bill Mott's Channel Maker (CAN), last seen finishing third to Tarnawa in the Breeders' Cup Turf, is the likely star name in the 2100m $1m Neom Turf Cup, a field which also includes Gronkowski (USA), now trained by Abdulaziz Khalid in Saudi Arabia.

The Purebred Arabian runners in the 2000m $2m Obaiya Arabian Classic are headlined by the Group 1-winning Messi (BEL), trained by Timo Keersmaekers in Belgium, who will clash with last year's winner Tallaab Al Khalediah (KSA), trained locally by Mutlaq Bin Mushref.

This year's Saudi Cup meeting also sees the addition of a new race, the $500k Al Rajhi Bank International Handicap, which is specifically aimed at horses trained in IFHA Part II or Part III countries, and is run on Friday 19 February on stc International Jockeys' Challenge day.

There are horses entered from six different countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Spain, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Tom Ryan, Director of Strategy and International Racing for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said:

“We were very excited when we saw the entry list for the second staging of The Saudi Cup and now we know the likely fields, we really are delighted.

“A battle between the likes of Knicks Go, Charlatan, Mishriff and Chuwa Wizard in The Saudi Cup would be a huge thrill, while the strength and quality of all the other races has really stood up.

“The entire team are working incredibly hard to deliver a world class event where the health and safety of all participants is paramount. It has obviously been an difficult year for everyone and we are glad that we are able to put on this meeting for racing fans all over the world to enjoy.”

For a list of where you can watch the Saudi Cup from home, please visit www.thesaudicup.com.sa and click “Where to watch”.

Download possible runners and past performances: https://thesaudicup.com.sa/page/Races

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