Saudi Cup undercard

Saturday marked the fifth edition of the blockbuster G1 Saudi Cup, with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) racing into the history books as another American-trained winner of the $20-million race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Connections of horses worldwide benefitted from the $33.5 million in purses on offer throughout the card, with Europe claiming a trio of wins, and Japan two victories on a night that is rapidly becoming one of the can't-miss events of the year in international racing. Sir Alex Ferguson, best known for his Manchester United...

Fosnic Racing's Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Gary Allsopp's Roberto Escobarr (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) both worked over the King Abdulaziz turf course ahead of intended starts on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard in Riyadh on Wednesday for trainer Mick Appleby. The son of Muhaarar, who won the G3 Bengough S. in October, ran second in a Lingfield listed race earlier this month, a prep for the G2 Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint on Saturday. He galloped 1200 metres Wednesday morning. "Annaf worked over six furlongs [1200m] on the grass...

George Boughey's Missed The Cut (Quality Road) may have fluffed his lines but still the G3 Neom Turf Cup Sponsored By Altanfeethi went for export with fellow Newmarket-based trainers John and Thady Gosden landing the $1.5-million contest with Arc also-ran Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) sprinting clear under Jim Crowley. John Gosden suggested after the race that the G1 Dubai World Cup could be next for Mostahdaf, a horse the team at Clarehaven Stables thought good enough to run in Europe's showcase race last autumn. But this was the day where...

Charlie Johnston's Group 1-winning stayer Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) turned in a maintenance gallop at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Wednesday, ahead of an intended start in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard. Set to face 12 rivals in the event, the 6-year-old entire has not graced the racecourse since dominating the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2021, having injured a tendon in training. "It has been a very long road, 20 months since this horse saw the racecourse," said Johnston. "It...

Listed winner Missed The Cut (Quality Road) is pleasing trainer George Boughey in advance of a try in the G3 Neom Turf Cup on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday. "He has come a long way in a short space of time," said the trainer, who saw the son of Quality Road breeze on the Riyadh track ahead of the extended 10-furlong test on Saturday. "There was a rapid rise through the summer last year, possibly too much too soon when we took him out to France for a...

Godolphin's Group 1 winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been removed from consideration for the $30.35-million Saudi Cup meeting after spiking a temperature, and will instead target the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai next month. "Creative Force spiked a temperature earlier today and following unsatisfactory blood tests, it has been decided that he will not travel to Saudi Arabia," Godolphin tweeted. "He will now be aimed at the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night." Trained by Charlie Appleby, the 5-year-old gelding won the G1 British Champions...

Emblem Road (Quality Road), the victor of the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup last year, is back to defend his title, as over 1,400 nominations were received for the $35.35-million extravaganza at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh Feb. 24-25. Locally owned and trained, Emblem Road will be seen in action on Friday over 1600 metres, as a prep for the nine-furlong Saturday cornerstone in just over a month's time. If he is successful on Feb. 25, he would become the highest-earning Thoroughbred in history with over $20.2 million in prize-money. The...

Not seen since Royal Ascot success two years ago, Group 1 winner Subjectivist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) could return on the Saudi Cup undercard in Riyadh next month, according to trainer Charlie Johnston. "Entries closed yesterday morning for the Saudi Cup meeting and Subjectivist has been entered in the [G3] Red Sea Turf H.--[the] 1 mile and 7-furlong race," Johnston said. Winner of the 2021 G1 Gold Cup June 17, the now-6-year-old was previously victorious in the 2020 G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 25 and the 2021 G2 Dubai...

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...

Finals Day on Good Friday, is set to compete in the Long Distance Turf H. at Riyadh in February. The listed winner is one of several likely competitors for the yard in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20. "He'll definitely go to Lingfield on Finals Day and he's in at Saudi next month," said Mark Johnston's son and assistant Charlie. "I'll have to clarify how their system works out there as to whether he'll get a penalty for his win, because at the moment he's not guaranteed a run. Were they...

Group 1 winner Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) will not go to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup card, her trainer Tony Mullins revealed on Sunday. The charismatic grey enjoyed a progressive campaign in 2020, taking the Listed Oyster S. at Galway in September, before adding the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran on Oct. 3, her fifth-straight win. Her final race of the season was a fourth in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak. "We've decided against it. I'd love to go, but we thought the ground wouldn't be suitable for...

In the annals of the international turf, the story of Freddy Head must feature among the most remarkable. He recorded a rare enough feat when winning back-to-back GI Breeders' Cup Miles aboard Miesque (Nureyev) in 1987 and 1988-she was the first horse to win twice at America's premier international meeting-but Head outdid even his own historic accomplishment when, as a trainer, he sent out the Wertheimers' Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) from his Chantilly base to win that same race in 2008, 2009 and 2010-she remains the only horse to win three...