Saudi Cup Meeting | 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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Sisfahan Heads to Saudi Cup Meeting

Germany's champion trainer Henk Grewe will keep hold of his 2021 G1 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), who will remain in training at five and is set to be aimed at the $2.5 million G3 Red Sea Turf Cup H. on the Saudi Cup card on February 25.

“It was the plan to run him there last year, but he got injured, so it was disappointing to miss the race,” said Holger Faust, racing manager to Darius Racing, who own Sisfahan with Michael Motschmann.

“We've been thinking about it all year and I'm glad he's come back at the right time this year, so he's ready for the race.”

Having been sidelined since the Breeders' Cup Turf of 2021, the four-year-old returned in the G1 Preis von Europa in September, and went on to win G2 Gran Premio Jockey Club at San Siro a month later before finishing third in the G2 Premio Federico Tesio in mid-November.

“He had a fracture and an operation in January and for a horse to come back in September is quite early,” Faust explained. “We didn't really have a race for him, but we decided to bring him back in a Group 1 because it was on his home track. He finished last in that race, but we were all fine with that and with his performance.

“We were quite confident for the race in Italy. He won that race and it was brilliant to see him coming back like this.”

Faust feels that the 3,000-metre Red Sea Turf Cup will be within his capabilities.

He added, “When jockeys ride him, they say he's hard to stop after his races, so he's got this attitude and he looks like a real stayer.

“The races in the spring in Germany, they are not really attractive for a Group 1 winner. Even though the Red Sea Turf is a Group 3 race, it has a high value and it makes sense to run a Group 1 horse in those kind of races.

“We thought this way we can give him a pause and then bring him back to European races when the Grand Prix season starts, which in Germany is at the end of July.

“The Saudi Cup meeting perfectly suits him now, being at the end of February, and if he performs in Saudi Arabia, it's possible for him to run on the big day in Dubai as well. Then if everything works out and the horse is sound, he gets a nice break before we see him again.”

British-based Jack Mitchell has ridden Sisfahan in his last three starts and is expected to be back on board in Riyadh.

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Buick Off Saudi Cup Mounts After Covid Positive

Godolphin jockey William Buick, who was slated to ride the Jan. 21 G2 Al Fahidi Fort hero Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saturday of the Saudi Cup meeting, has tested positive for Covid and will be off his mounts in Riyadh on Saturday. Also due to ride Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H., Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) in the G3 Saudi Derby and Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) in the G3 Riyadh Cup Sprint, Buick missed several rides at Meydan on Friday, as well. In Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium S., Buick had been booked for Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but Andrea Atzeni finished second aboard the Godolphin runner instead.

For his Saudi Cup mounts, James Doyle will deputise for Buick on Naval Crown and Siskany, while Frankie Dettori has been called up to ride Noble Truth. In place of Doyle on Happy Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the 1351 Cup Sprint is David Egan. The regular rider of 2021 Saudi Cup victor Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Egan also picks up the ride on Copano Kicking for Buick in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Ginobili (Munnings) will be forced to miss the Sprint after emerging from his second gallop at King Abdulaziz unsatisfactorily. Trainer Richard Baltas told Daily Racing Form that the 5-year-old was lame in his left for, but that the first set of X-rays taken were negative. Results of a second set of images were pending and Baltas surmised that Ginobili would undergo a nuclear scan upon his return to America.

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