Tag: saudi cup

Rosario Picks Up Saudi Cup Mount

Joel Rosario has picked up the ride on RRR Racing's Isolate (Mark Valeski) for Saturday's $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, his agent Ron Anderson confirmed in a text message Monday.

The 6-year-old Isolate made the first 12 starts of his career in the U.S. for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, winning two from his first five for trainer Kathy Ritvo before joining the barn of Tom Amoss. The Florida-bred posted four victories from seven outings for that barn, winning the Work All Week S. at Hawthorne and the Tale of the Cat S. at Saratoga ahead of a runner-up effort in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. in 2022.

Subsequently acquired by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing and turned over to trainer Doug Watson in Dubai, Isolate was runner-up in a pair of group sprint races at Meydan, then stretched out in distance to post an impressive win in the G2 Godolphin Mile with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. He has made just one appearance since, a handy success in the G2 Al Maktoum Mile at Meydan Dec. 22.

Isolate did not originally draw into the Saudi Cup, but gained a run when Aidan O'Brien elected to re-route the gifted multiple Group 1-winning turf horse Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to the G2 Neom Turf Cup.

Rosario will also take the ride aboard Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's Bold Journey (Hard Spun) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Anderson also reported. Winner of the GIII Fall Highweight H. and Gravesend S. in his two most recent appearances, Bold Journey carried Rosario to a first-level New York-bred allowance victory at the Big A in 2022. Bold Journey is trained by Bill Mott.

Rosario rode no fewer than six stakes winners over the weekend, including Beatbox (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GIII Fair Grounds S. He was runner-up in the GII Risen Star S. atop Track Phantom (Quality Road).

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Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia Partners with Equine MediRecord for ’24 Saudi Cup

Equine MediRecord's software platform will be used for all equine participants during the upcoming two-day Saudi Cup festival. An Arabic version of the Equine MediRecord platform to assist local trainers and veterinarians will also be available to help clear the Saudi-based horses through the festival's equine welfare protocols.

The software platform allows for the full veterinary history of each horse to be recorded securely, supporting horse welfare as well as aiding with anti-doping procedures. The new system EMR, developed for the 2023 Saudi Cup, will automatically inform trainers from across the world of the safety and integrity regulations that need to be followed and what documents need to be submitted through the system to allow horses to run at the Saudi Cup. Records entered into the system cannot be altered, providing integrity and transparency.

Equine MediRecord's employed internationally, including by the British Horseracing Authority, Thoroughbred Owners of California, Maryland 5 Star, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Arabian Racing Organisation, Pegasus World Cup, Preakness Stakes and Breeders' Cup World Championships. In 2022 Equine MediRecord received a multi-million dollar investment from Merits Holdings to become part of their Business Infusions group, the largest equine veterinary software group in the world.

“We are excited to have our Arabic version of our Equine MediRecord system, which was developed with Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia's support, used for the local Saudi racehorses,” said Pierce Dargan, Chief Executive Officer of Equine MediRecord. “We hope this will drive adoption of our system by more equine events in the region who want to ensure the best equine welfare and bio-security protocols are being followed at their events.”

For more on Equine MediRecord, click here.

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“She Has A Huge Chance” – Matilda Picotte Bids For Big-Race Saudi Riches

Trainer Kieran Cotter says that he is optimistic his stable star Matilda Picotte (Ire), a filly he has continuously turned down big-money offers for, will put her best foot forward in the valuable Group 2 Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint on February 24.

The daughter of Sioux Nation developed into a high-class three-year-old last season, finishing third in the G1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket before landing the G3 Sceptre S. and G2 Challenge S. in the autumn.

The 1351 Turf Sprint will be the filly's first start of the new campaign and the trainer says he couldn't be happier with her ahead of the valuable contest.

Cotter said, “She obviously had a busy three-year-old season, so we've given her a nice break over the winter so far, but she's 100 per cent tuned up for this. You can't turn up to a race like this and only be 95 per cent. What she has done for us is immeasurable to be honest. To say you've been involved in a superstar, which she is to us, is very special.

“She's brought us to a place that we could never have dreamed of going, it's mind-boggling. As for the race, I think she has a huge chance. With the greatest respect about all the well-regarded challengers in the race, our filly couldn't give a hoot about them! It's great to know that we've got a horse who will be giving 100 per cent and you can't ask for much more than that.”

Matilda Picotte caught the eye of the racing world last season, not least some big owners, and Cotter revealed he's fortunate to still have the horse in his care.

“There are around 10 who own shares in Matilda, which is lucky, as if it was just one there was probably enough money on the table from prospective buyers for them to be tempted,” he said.

“We've been offered some serious, serious [sums of] money for her, so full credit to the owners who are sticking with her and rolling the dice. The prize-money in Saudi is obviously a big draw, so hopefully we can get some of it.”

Three-time champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy is two-from-two on the filly and is set to be in the saddle once again.

“Oisin has been fantastic with her and he can't wait to get back on board again, so he'll definitely be travelling over for the ride,” added the trainer.

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Saudi Cup Runners Arrive In Riyadh From Japan, U.S.

The plane carrying the Japanese contingent to Riyadh for next Saturday's Saudi Cup meeting touched down at King Khalid International Airport, and each of the nation's four entrants for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup appear to have taken the flight in good order.

Looking to make it back-to-back successes in the world's richest horse race following the stunning all-the-way victory by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) last February are Japan's champion dirt horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid); reigning G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}); Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), last year's G2 UAE Derby hero and runner-up to White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic; and the MGSW/MG1SP Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro).

Lightly raced for a 6-year-old, with just 14 starts under his belt, Lemon Pop won last year's G1 February S. and ventured overseas for the first time for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. An outpaced 10th behind Sibelius (Not This Time), the chestnut successfully stepped up in trip and wired the G1 Champions Cup in his first try over nine furlongs last December. Connections have opted for the path of greater resistance for his seasonal debut a week from Saturday.

“There's going to be plenty of competition there and that nine furlongs will test him now because we're not absolutely sure that's his best distance,” Godolphin Japan President Harry Sweeney told the TDN's Emma Berry in a recent interview. “But anyway, the option really is either to stay at home in Japan and run in the February S….or to go abroad and run in the Saudi Cup. So that's what we're doing.”

 

 

 

A field of 16 will be drawn Friday for Sunday's February S., a 'Win and You're In' challenge race that offers a berth in the field for the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. But while the February does not lack for quantity, the racing calendar dictates that the country's stars are elsewhere.

“In truth, [the Saudi Cup] hurts the February S. a little bit, which is only one of two Grade 1 races in the JRA calendar on dirt,” Sweeney opined. So you have horses like Lemon Pop, Ushba Tesoro, Derma Sotogake all going to Saudi. Whereas in a different era they would all run in the February S.”

The Japanese have been major players in the brief history of the Saudi Cup races, and their other main chances include defending champion Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint; Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in the G3 Saudi Derby; and Remake (Jpn) (Lani), who will try to improve on his third-place effort in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

The American representatives also touched down in Riyadh late Wednesday evening, including the Saudi Cup-bound White Abarrio, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming).

 

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