saudi cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Middle East Campaign For Pyledriver

In the wake of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})'s second-place finish in Sunday's G1 Hong Kong Vase, co-trainer William Muir has said that the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic is on the soon-to-be 5-year-old's agenda, with a stop at the Saudi Cup meeting along the way a possibility.

“Everything's on the table,” Muir said. “He's definitely going to have a winter campaign and it's going to end up at the Sheema Classic before he comes home to have a little bit of a break. Let's keep our fingers crossed, we all know sport is a cruel thing at times but he loved it [on Sunday]. He's taken it in his stride.

“If it does happen to be the Saudi Cup [next] that will give him a couple of months. He's got plenty of time to freshen up for it so he should be spot on, then the Sheema Classic would be the big target after that. He'll come back and have a little break before we get him ready for the King George or the Juddmonte, one of those two, before the Arc.”

Pyledriver was beaten only by the defending winner Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who also won the race two years ago, in the Vase.

“My initial thought when they turned for home was that the French filly [Ebaiyra, third] was travelling very strongly, and then I saw her come off the bridle,” said Muir. “We were in a very difficult spot to see clearly what was happening. Obviously we were in their country with Covid [restrictions] and we were given areas that we were allowed in. I didn't see the other horse coming down the outside and inside the final furlong I thought 'we've done it!' Then the horse came over the top and your first thought is 'ah sugar, we just got beat!' But then you're so, so proud.”

Raced by the La Pyle partnership, Pyledriver won the G1 Coronation Cup in June but was forced to miss the rest of the summer with a setback. He returned a winner in Lingfield's Listed Churchill S. on Nov. 13 prior to his Hong Kong sojourn.

“We were absolutely delighted and very proud, we have been from the day at Salisbury [his debut] because he never, ever lets you down,” Muir said.

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‘When You Compete Against The Best It Makes You Better’: Uruguayan Star Aero Trem Targets Saudi Cup

South American superstar Aero Trem is on course to fly the flag for Uruguay in The Saudi Cup next year.

The winner of the Group 1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano, South America's most prestigious prize, has been shipped to Dubai to continue his preparation for the world's most valuable race.

It will be a remarkable achievement just to line up in the $20 million showpiece, set to be run as a Group 1 for the first time, at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 26.

The 6-year-old nearly died when struck down by a serious bout of colic after winning the first two legs of Uruguay's Triple Crown three years ago.

He has since developed into South America's best horse and his ambitious trainer Antonio Cintra is keen to test his stable star against some of the world's top performers.

Assistant trainer Julio Olascoaga is overseeing Aero Trem's preparation in Dubai and said: “Aero Trem arrived on Monday. He travelled for two days to get to Dubai. He went from Uruguay to Germany and from Germany to Dubai. Horses usually lose weight in transit but, for him, it was like nothing had happened.

“He's arrived in fantastic condition. I took some blood and that was amazing. He can take all these things very well. I'm very happy with him – he looks great. He will start training at the end of the week.

“We're just waiting for an invitation to The Saudi Cup and then we'll work towards that. He's very highly-rated so I don't think he will have a problem getting in.”

Aero Trem won Uruguay's most important race over 1600m (one mile), the Gran Premio Pedro Pineyrua at Maronas, for the second successive year in January before landing the Gran Premio Latinoamericano in October.

It was only the second time in 38 years that a horse trained in Uruguay had landed South America's greatest race, run this year at Maronas.

The field contained the best horses from across the continent and Aero Trem was successful in course-record time. He led home a one-two for Brazilian Cintra – four-times Champion Trainer in Uruguay – with Atletico El Culano finishing runner-up in the 2000m (1 1/4-mile) dirt-track contest.

The victory came less than three years after Aero Trem had come dangerously close to losing his life to colic.

Olascoaga explained: “He had huge surgery and it was amazing work from the vets. He lost 150kg and it took a lot of time for him to recover.

“He's a horse that impresses you – when you think he might get beaten he just appears. In the Group 1s he has the extra power, he's amazing.

“Antonio has a dream to get his horses into the biggest races so we're working towards The Saudi Cup. It's a dream, a dream that might come true. It's unbelievable where this horse can take us.

“It's not just important for us – it's important for Uruguay and South America. We are testing how far we can go and how good the horses are. It's about measuring our horses on the world stage to see where we are.

“When you compete against the best it makes you better. If you're always competing at the same level you will never improve. If you raise the bar you have to push yourself to be better.

“That's even more important than the prize money. Money is important but it's not everything.

“We've never been to Saudi but we've heard about the track from people we know. They say the track will suit the Uruguayan horses much better than Dubai as it has a longer straight. The Uruguayan tracks generally have long straights so it's pretty similar.

“A fast pace will suit him, the distance will suit him, the track will suit him.”

Big-race jockey Vagner Leal, a Brazilian based in Uruguay, is expected to arrive in Dubai later this week. He will help with the preparation of Cintra's team and will take the ride on Aero Trem, who races in the colors of Brazilian owners Haras Old Friends, if he makes it in to The Saudi Cup field.

The trainer's horses based in Dubai include last year's Uruguay Derby hero El Patriota, a winner in Dubai in February, and talented 3-year-old Perfect Love. They will both be entered in the Saudi International Handicap run on the opening day of The Saudi Cup meeting on Friday, Feb. 25.

The Uruguayan runners at the glittering Saudi Cup meeting will have at least one famous supporter. Manchester United footballer Edison Cavani owns horses trained by Cintra and he has been keeping a close eye on the progress of the potential Saudi raiders.

Olascoaga added: “He's a very nice guy. He came to play for Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier and he came straight from the airport to the races. Everyone was going crazy.

“He loves horses and he's supportive of racing. It's very good for the industry, he brings the fans in.”

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Miles D Possible for Saudi Trip

Peter Brant and Robert LaPenta's Miles D (Curlin) may have earned a trip to the G1 Saudi Cup in February with his victory in Saturday's Discovery S. at Aqueduct.

“I'm not one to send my horses to other continents to run. I like to stick to my circuits. But that race has been on my mind with the right style of horse,” trainer Chad Brown said. “This might be the kind of horse that fits for me trying one of those races. Although he's had a couple of hard races, he is lightly raced. If you look at his record, he hasn't had that many starts. He didn't have to do battle in the Triple Crown, and he doesn't have a ton of miles on him.”

Miles D was second in the Curlin S. and third in the GI Runhappy Travers S. over the summer at Saratoga and took a Belmont allowance in October before winning his first stakes race Saturday in his sixth career start.

Brown said Miles D was unlikely to target the Jan. 29 GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream where he would face Breeders' Cup winners Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life is Good (Into Mischief).

“I have to talk to the owners about it. I'm not really sure,” Brown said. “I'm not so much interested in the Pegasus against those two horses. I'll get him down there and see. There's definitely a pace scenario to consider as well. If I race in big races in the wintertime, it's horses that are lightly raced. With horses that have had long campaigns, I don't care how much money they offer me at any track. I don't really run them too much. This horse, there's a possibility that we keep on going with him.”

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Brown Contemplating Big Targets For Miles D In 2022

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown said Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta's Miles D, an impressive winner of Saturday's $150,000 Discovery at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., could point to the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I'm not one to send my horses to other continents to run. I like to stick to my circuits. But that race has been on my mind with the right style of horse,” Brown said. “This might be the kind of horse that fits for me trying one of those races. Although he's had a couple of hard races, he is lightly raced. If you look at his record, he hasn't had that many starts. He didn't have to do battle in the Triple Crown, and he doesn't have a ton of miles on him.”

A son of multiple champion producing stallion Curlin, Miles D collared heavy favorite Speaker's Corner in the stretch drive of the Discovery, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, registering a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. The win followed a hard-fought first-level allowance score against older company on October 24 going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Miles D sports a consistent ledger of 6-3-1-1, including a stakes placing in his sire's namesake race on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., en route to a third in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 28.

Brown said Miles D is not likely to target the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on January 29 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., a race expected to attract reigning Breeders' Cup champions Knicks Go [Classic] and Life Is Good [Dirt Mile].

Brown said Miles D could be a force to be reckoned with next year in the older horse division.

“If he takes another step forward next year, runs in all the handicap races, and has success in one or more of them, he has a lot of stallion potential. Races like the Whitney or the Jockey Club are ones that would matter to me quite a bit,” Brown said.

Miles D was fourth on debut last October at Belmont in what turned out to be a key maiden race, finishing behind Speaker's Corner as well as subsequent stakes winners Caddo River and Greatest Honour.

Brown credited both his team and owners for allowing a patient approach with the horse.

“It's taken a lot of patience by our team and our two owners. They never questioned giving him a little time,” Brown said.

Named after the late influential jazz musician Miles Davis, Miles D is out of the unraced Bernardini broodmare Sound the Trumpets, whose first dam is multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire My Flag and second dam is undefeated Hall of Fame champion Personal Ensign. Miles D was acquired for $470,000 from the Denali Stud consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Brown went on to report that Klaravich Stables' Forced Ranking will not make this Saturday's Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct after spiking a temperature. He will still, however, saddle Jeff Drown's maiden winner Zandon, who breezed a half-mile in :49.82 Sunday over the Belmont dirt training track.

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