Riyadh

2022 G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) will be pointed at the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Feb. 25, www.tospo-keiba.jp reported on Tuesday. The news was revealed by the 5-year-old's trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Panthalassa, who races for Hiroo Race Co., Ltd., was originally aiming for a defence of his G1 Dubai Turf title. If his Saudi expedition goes well, Panthalassa will then head to the G1 Dubai World Cup on Mar. 25. Yahagi told Tospo-Keiba, "He is rated 121, and a one-turn left-handed 1800 meters...

Germany's champion trainer Henk Grewe will keep hold of his 2021 G1 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), who will remain in training at five and is set to be aimed at the $2.5 million G3 Red Sea Turf Cup H. on the Saudi Cup card on February 25. "It was the plan to run him there last year, but he got injured, so it was disappointing to miss the race," said Holger Faust, racing manager to Darius Racing, who own Sisfahan with Michael Motschmann. "We've been thinking about...

Prince Faisal's globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will undergo a thorough examination once he returns to the UK, according to co-trainer Thady Gosden, who trains with his father John. The 2021 G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero was attempting to become the world's richest racehorse with a title defence of the $20-million Saudi Cup, which was elevated to Group 1 status this term. However, the 2020 G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero failed to fire in Riyadh on Sunday and trailed home...

Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), who finished 11th in the G3 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard in Riyadh on Saturday, is in good order and remains in the mix for the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 26. Breaking widest of all from gate 14 on Saturday, the 5-year-old entire never appeared comfortable while trapped well off the fence for most of the race. He eventually tired and dropped back before being impeded by a rival that had fallen...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--In its short history, the Saudi Cup meeting has not been short of drama. It has also not been slow in ensuring Group 1 status, which it carries this year for the third running of the world's richest race.  It is a deserved uplift. Last year's winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), was a Classic winner coming into the race, and won another two Group 1s in Dubai and Britain following his success in Riyadh. What's more, he had the subsequent Breeders'...

Prince Faisal's Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who took the $20-million Saudi Cup last February, touched down safely in Riyadh on Monday and is ready to defend his title, according to co-trainer Thady Gosden, who trains with his father, John. The race, promoted to Group 1 status for the first time in 2022, anchors the two-day Saudi Cup Meeting and will take place on Saturday. If the 2020 G1 Prix du Jockey Club and 2021 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic victor wins the 1800-metre dirt race, he would...

Prince Faisal's 2021 $20-million Saudi Cup hero Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is in excellent form ahead of his defence of his crown in the 2022 edition, the first time the race has been accorded Group 1 status. The John and Thady Gosden runner took the G1 Sheema Classic at Meydan last March, and was third in Sandown's G1 Eclipse S. July. Second to Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 24, he bounced back to win the G1 Juddmonte International...

Prince Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), victorious in last season's Saudi Cup in Riyadh, remains on course to defend his title in the $20-million race Feb. 26. The race will be run as a Group 1 for the first time this year. "That's his target, the Saudi Cup, and as far as I know everything is on track," said Ted Voute, racing manager to Prince Faisal. Following last season's victory, the John and Thady Gosden trainee added a win in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. Later...

Group 1 winner Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) is aiming to defend his title in the Apr. 15 G3 Abernant S. at Newmarket, trainer Roger Teal revealed on Monday. Oxted, who won the G1 July Cup S., was unplaced in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint on dirt in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20. An alternative option for the gelding is the G2 Duke of York S. if the ground is too quick at Newmarket. Teal said, "At the moment the plan is to go to Newmarket as long as the ground is...

The G1 Dubai Sheema Classic is a potential March target for G1 St Leger second Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) according to trainer Andrew Balding. Since taking the Listed Noel Murless S. in October, the colt returned to be the runner-up in the H H the Amir Trophy in Qatar on Feb. 20. "He ran a smashing race," said Balding. "It was his first run for a while, and he's entitled to come on for that. All being well, he might head towards Meydan for the Sheema Classic. He's...

The first three home in last year's Red Sea Turf Handicap have all returned to Riyadh for this $2.5 million staying contest over 3,000 metres. The trio is led by the George Strawbridge homebred Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}), whose victory over Mekong (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) was followed through the French summer with wins in the G3 Prix de Barbeville and G2 Prix Kergorlay.  Freddy Head, who arrived in Saudi in time to see the 7-year-old have an easy canter on Thursday...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—A number of trainers with horses engaged in Saturday's Saudi Cup have been unable to travel but their horses and exercise riders have shipped in, mostly over last weekend, for the second running of the $20 million contest at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The 14-strong field includes two locally-trained horses, Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) and Alzahzaah (KSA) (Worldly), who face competition from Britain, Japan and Bahrain as well as five runners from the United States. For most of the American contingent, stronger work had taken place on the...