By Emma Berry and Kelsey Riley
A line-up worthy of its new Group 1 status, the Saudi Cup has attracted runners from seven nations, with Classic winners from two continents likely to be the leading players in the field of 14.
The major fly in the ointment for defending champion Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) appears to be his draw in stall 14, but he wasn't much closer to the rail last year when winning from gate 12. He has really impressed in mornings this week, appearing relaxed and looking terrific, but his main rival Mandaloun (Into Mischief) will be no pushover. His presence in Riyadh in the week he was finally awarded the 2021 Kentucky Derby sets up a potentially thrilling clash of runners owned by two outstanding Saudi breeders, Prince AA Faisal and the late Prince Khalid Abdullah.
If Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) can live up to his trainer Steve Asmussen's immense faith in him, he too could play a key role, and it would be folly to overlook the chances of the Japanese dirt champion T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), whose most recent victory came over the same trip in the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo.
Two horses who lit up the autumn season in Britain and America, G1 Champion S. winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), give the field proper strength in depth.
Authority Kick Starts Big Day For Japan
The Saudi Cup card kicks off with the G3 Neom Turf Cup, which understandably has attracted a strong European challenge, with half the field trained in either England or France. The likely favourite, however, is Japanese. The 5-year-old Authority (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was last seen finishing runner-up to the outstanding Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Japan Cup and superstar hoop Christophe Lemaire is in town to ride him.
The hugely likeable G1 Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) has looked a relaxed individual in the morning on his second overseas trip for the absent William Muir, and his temporary training companion Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal), the winner of his last two Group 3 starts, could well kick off the 2022 campaign in style for his revered trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
The G2 Prix Corrida victrix Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) is a rare older mare in training for her breeder the Aga Khan, and the 5-year-old will be making her first start for Francis Graffard since the retirement of her former trainer Alain de Royer Dupre.
Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), whose two Group 3 victories have come in Germany and Italy, is also running for a new trainer for the first time, having switched from Waldemar Hickst in Germany to William Haggas in the UK after topping the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale at 700,000gns. This is an important start on the home turf of his new owner HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled.
Champions Go Head To Head
The longest race on the Saudi Cup card is also the second-most valuable staying race in the world, the $2.5 million G3 Red Sea Turf Handicap. Ireland launches a three-pronged attack with the Ebor winner Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) favoured over GII Belmont Gold Cup victor Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), and the G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) completing the trio. All three are trained by former champion jockeys: Johnny Murtagh, Joseph O'Brien and Tony Mullins, respectively.
Having made the short trip from Dubai, Godolphin's Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) comes into the race in good form, having proven his staying power in listed company at Meydan on Jan. 28, while the dependable Skazino (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), representing the same connections of Saudi Cup contender Sealiway and with a new trainer in Richard Chotard, should not be overlooked. His compatriot Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) enjoyed a fruitful second half of his 2021 campaign and his breeder Andreas Putsch of Haras de Saint Pair has been keeping a close eye on his 6-year-old during training this week.
Passing The Crown
Twelve months ago, trainer Charlie Appleby saw a long-term plan come to fruition when he plundered the 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saudi Cup card with a son of Dubawi (Ire), Space Blues (GB). That Group 1-winning chestnut went on to add G1 Prix de la Foret and GI Breeders' Cup Mile before year's end, and while he is now ensconced in the stud barn at Kildangan Stud, Appleby returns with another highly regarded son of Dubawi, Naval Crown (GB), that he has long targeted this newly upgraded Group 3 with. The 4-year-old was good enough to finish fourth in last year's G1 2000 Guineas, and he has subsequently proven that performance wasn't a fluke with a second-place finish in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot and a win in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort at Meydan on Jan. 21. Appleby said last week, “We deliberately finished his season early last year to get ready for this. He was a model of consistency as a 3-year-old and he has come back in great form. It was a nice performance to win the Al Fahidi Fort and he has come forward for that run.”
Aside from Charlie Appleby's three-win Breeders' Cup, another key international takeaway from Del Mar last year was Japan's first two wins at the meeting. The nation brings a sizable, quality squad to Riyadh, and among those is the 4-year-old filly Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who defeated colts to win the G2 Fuji S. in October. She was also a nose second in last year's G1 NHK Mile Cup against males. Bill Mott brings his 2021 GI Jaipur S. winner Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), who rallied mildly to finish 3 3/4 lengths behind Space Blues at the Breeders' Cup. Richard Hannon's filly Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) rarely runs a bad race, while Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) and Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) are both talented runners looking to rebound to their best.
Baffert Targets Another Derby
Trainer Bob Baffert has a typically loaded stable of exciting 3-year-olds, and though he is currently ineligible to participate in this year's Kentucky Derby, he sends forward Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) for another Derby and the first seven-figure prize for his generation this season in the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby.
Pinehurst broke his maiden at first asking in August and won the GI Del Mar Futurity by 4 1/2 lengths next out, but he has something to prove having been beaten in his two most recent starts, when fifth behind stablemate Corniche (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and when second in the GII San Vicente S. on Jan. 29.
Godolphin brings a stiff three-pronged challenge against the favourite, all of whom are trying the dirt for the first time, with Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) set to carry Frankie Dettori and the blue cap, as William Buick has been stood down after a positive covid test. The bay won Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman S. in September and was second in the G1 Prix Jean Luc Lagardere before finishing fourth in the G3 Horris Hill S. Sovereign Prince (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has won three straight races including the Listed Jumeirah Classic last out, while Island Falcon (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) has won his last two.
Japan is a perfect two-for-two in the Saudi Derby, having taken the first two runnings of the race with Full Flat (Speightstown) and Pink Kamehameha (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}), and this time around they bring the Listed Hyogo Junior Grand Prix winner Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) and the Cattleya S. winner Consigliere (Jpn) (Drefong). Nick Bradley Racing's filly Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}) ran an admirable 10 times last year and rarely had an off day. She won the G3 Prix Six Perfections and was placed four times in pattern company including the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac.
Copano Back To Defend Sprint Title
Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) was the least fancied of three Japanese-trained runners in last year's Riyadh Dirt Sprint and had to overcome a wide barrier, but neither of those things prevented him from hitting the line first, and Akira Murayama's charge is back 12 months later to defend his title under David Egan, who is deputising for the ill Buick. Those joining Copano Kicking on the flight from Japan included Dancing Prince (Jpn) (Pas De Trois {Jpn}), a Group 3 winner in his native country, going six furlongs. Prince Faisal's Faz Zae (KSA) (Mizzen Mast), an eye-catching third here last year after racing detached from the pack early, likewise returns for another go.
RRR Racing and trainer Bhupat Seemar bring the one-two from the Jan. 1 Listed Al Garhoud Sprint, Switzerland (Speightstown)-who was fourth in this last year–and Gladiator King (Curlin). Abdulla Al Mansoori's Good Effort (Ire) (Shamardal) has lived up to his name as of late, winning the Listed Golden Rose S. going six furlongs on the all-weather at Lingfield on Nov. 13 and placing in a Newcastle conditions race and Lingfield's Listed Kachy S. most recently.
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