Red Sea Turf H.

by Brian Sheerin in Riyadh, Heather Anderson & Alan Carasso Wherever and whenever horses from Japan show up on the world stage, recent history dictates that they are to be taken very seriously. As recently as 12 months ago at the Saudi Cup meeting, horses representing the island nation accounted for four of the evening's six big races, and a month later in yet another desert destination, they somehow managed to one-up themselves with a spectacular five-timer on Dubai World Cup night. The nation has yet--repeat, yet--to break through in...

While a locally trained winner of the G1 Saudi Cup in Emblem Road (Quality Road) will go down as a great moment in the annals of the newest international race meeting, the prevailing story could just be the dominance by Japanese runners on the undercard. Fresh off big showings at the Breeders' Cup and Hong Kong International races, Japan brought a formidable squad to Riyadh and was rewarded with victories in the G3 Red Sea Turf H., G3 Neom Turf Cup, G3 Riyadh Cup and G3 1351 Turf Sprint. The...

Joseph O'Brien has already collected an impressive haul of international trophies in less than seven years with a trainers' license, including two Melbourne Cups and a Breeders' Cup, and he will look to expand that collection when sending Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to next weekend's Saudi Cup card. LECH Racing Limited's 5-year-old Baron Samedi rose rapidly through the ranks after being gelded in 2020, with four straight handicap wins followed by victory in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris, and he...

Group 1-winning stayer Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) will point toward the Red Sea Turf H. on the Saudi Cup card on Feb. 26, with connections deciding against a winter campaign over hurdles. Princess Zoe made a remarkable rise through the ranks last year after joining Irish trainer Tony Mullins, climbing from an official rating of 64 at the beginning of the season to 110 at the end, when she won the G1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp. Though Princess Zoe went winless in five starts this campaign, she...

Jockey Frankie Dettori will ride Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) in the Red Sea Turf H. at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20. A three-time placer in the G1 Melbourne Cup, the Charlie Fellowes trainee is doing well in advance of the $2.5-milllion contest. In his latest start, the gelding was third at Kempton in a two-mile synthetic affair on Feb. 6. "He's in good nick and I'm looking forward to seeing him out there, hopefully the journey goes well," Fellowes told ITV Racing. "We've got...