Al Khalediah gang-tackle S$1.9 million Arabian feature
Group 1 Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Cup takes centre stage
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Purebred Arabian Nadem Al Molwk Al Khalediah heads a quartet of runners for the powerful Al Khalediah team prepared by trainer Nasser Mutlaq in the Group 1 Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Cup (1,800m) at King Abdulaziz racecourse in Riyadh on Jan 9.
PHOTO: JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA
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RIYADH – Al Khalediah trainer Nasser Mutlaq has leading claims of taking top honours in the US$1.5 million (S$1.9 million) Group 1 Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Cup at King Abdulaziz racecourse on Jan 9 with four runners headed by the exciting Nadem Al Molwk Al Khalediah.
Riyadh is host to the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Arabian Horse Festival over the course of Jan 8 and 9 with huge prize money on offer for Purebred Arabian horses and the action climaxes with 11 runners in the 1,800m feature.
The race has been worth a colossal amount since 2019 and the locally bred Nadem Al Molwk Al Khalediah is top rated in the field despite having just six outings.
The Adel Alfouraidi-ridden six-year-old is the winner of four of those and most recently gave a four-length beating to the reopposing Al Kaaser in the Group 3 Imam Turki bin Abdullah Sword (1,600m) on Dec 27.
Turki Al Khalediah II was third on that occasion and is another Mutlaq representative along with the fourth home Mutwakel Alkhalediah, while Jan 2 winner Mostabsil Al Khalediah completes his quartet.
Franking the international dimension of the feature race, French trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte ships in Moshrif for the second time after he chased home the legendary Tilal Al Khalediah on Saudi Cup weekend in the Group 1 Al Mneefah Cup (2,100m) of 2024.
The main supporting event on Jan 9 is the US$300,000 Princess Mounira bint Abdulaziz bin Musaed bin Jalawi Cup over 1,600m in which Mutlaq has three of the eight runners.
His trio are headed by Bint Ghaliat Al Khalediah – who was second to Tilal Al Khalediah in Taif in September – Alfouraidi’s mount Mubarizat Alkhalediah and Maitha Al Khalediah, while France is again represented with the La Teste-De-Buch-based Elizabeth Bernard sending out Algheed.
The all-thoroughbred card on Jan 10 features the marathon 150,000-riyal Al-Jouf Region Governorate Cup (2,400m) which has a full field of 20 declared and includes two runners for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz headed by jockey Camilo Ospina’s course-and-distance winner Almaqam.
Also on that card is the filly and mares’ 150,000-riyal Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture Cup which is also fully subscribed.
The 1,600m race features December winner Dance Desire, top-rated for the Ricardo Ferreira, Thamer Aldaihani and Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah combination.
JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA
