Kodiac's Port Lions Pulls Saudi Upset

The former Irish handicapper Port Lions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) has enjoyed a new lease on life since being purchased privately and expatriated to Bahrain last fall, and he ran his win streak to six with a last-gasp victory over the G1 Nassau S. winner and heavy favourite Dierdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in the 2100 metre Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup, the opening race of the Saudi Cup Card on Saturday.

Port Lions has indeed been all over the map in his five years; a €220,000 yearling, he started out with trainer Mick Halford in Ireland in the Godolphin blue, and was sent off to Henri-Alex Pantall in France after breaking his maiden in his ninth start. He made just one start for Pantall before being bought by Madeleine Tylicki for 22,000gns from the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale in 2018, and he was bought privately by a group of owners with Bahrain-based but globally successful trainer Fawzi Nass after winning twice in Ireland last spring and summer. Port Lions had won five races by a combined 28 lengths between Nov. 11 and Jan. 31, and held his form during the short trip over to Riyadh.

It appeared initially as if that win streak was doomed when Port Lions completely blew the break, but Adrie de Vries kept his cool and settled the bay at the tail of the field but within striking range as the favourites Deirdre and Mount Everest (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) stalked the pace set by For The Top (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}). At the same time as Deirdre had to back up slightly to find daylight passing the quarter pole, Port Lions was beginning to pick off rivals just in behind. For The Top ran on gamely as Mount Everest folded and Deirdre chased down the middle of the track, and the mare put up a game fight when Port Lions appeared on her outside but Port Lions was simply going better. The pair ran down For The Top in the final lunges with Port Lions getting the wire a head sooner.

“It feels absolutely amazing to win the first turf race here in Saudi Arabia,” said Nass. “Of course, we came here with some hope but to actually accomplish that is amazing. He missed the break quite badly, which didn't help but obviously we know he's got a very nice turn of foot. I wasn't sure if he could do that from so far back off a slow pace but obviously he managed. He has just improved and improved. He's a proper fast ground horse and has done very well since he came to Bahrain.”

De Vries added, “This was fantastic. He has been full of confidence since Fawzi got him and he has improved every race. We came here a little bit underestimated I think but our only worry was the trip as it was the furthest he has ran. He missed the kick; I wanted to sit last but maybe not that far. He settled and he's got a great kick.

“It's just amazing for the connections. The track is beautiful. I can't believe in such a short time they were able to make it; it was a dream to ride on. It feels amazing to win. I knew we would run well but I wasn't sure if we could beat the Japanese filly. It is just a great feeling.”

Oisin Murphy, the pilot of Deirdre, added, “No excuses. She jumped well, she travelled good. Everything went well except we didn't win. We got into the right position and on form we would have won easily. It happens, sometimes. The track was very nice and I think they did a great job.”

Pedigree Notes

Port Lions is out of the American stakes winner Cold Cold Woman (GB) (Machiavellian), a half-sister to the dam of G2 Summer Mile winner Aljamaaheer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Appearing deeper in the pedigree under the third dam is Solo de Lune (Ire) (Law Society), whose legacy includes the G1 Irish Oaks winner Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), now the dam of five stakes winners, and G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who has produced the G2 Doncaster Cup victor Honolulu (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

MOHAMED YOUSUF NAGHI MOTORS TURF CUP, $1,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-29, 4yo/up, 2100mT, 2:11.41, gd.
1–PORT LIONS (IRE), 126, g, 5, Kodiac (GB)–Cold Cold Woman (GB) (SW-US, $116,436), by Machiavellian. (€220,000 Ylg '16 GOFORB; 22,000gns HRA '18 TATAUT). O-Victorious Racing; B-Diomed Bloodstock Ltd; T-Fawzi Nass; J-Adrie de Vries; $600,000. Lifetime Record: 21-8-6-3, $706,559.
2–Deirdre (Jpn), 121, m, 6, Harbinger (GB)–Reizend (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). (¥21,000,000 Ylg '15 JRHAJUL). O-Toji Morita; B-Northern Farm; T-Mitsuro Hashida. $200,000.
3–For The Top (Arg), 126, h, 5, Equal Stripes (Arg)–Felicitas One (Arg), by Bernstein. O-Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid al Nuaimi; B-El Turf; T-Salem bin Ghadayer. $100,000.
Margins: SHD, HF, 2 1/4.
Also Ran: Intellogent (Ire), Royal Youmzain (Fr), Mount Everest (Ire), Trais Fluors (GB), Imagen de Roma (Arg). Scratched: Persian Moon (Ire).