Forever Young headlines blockbuster 2026 Saudi Cup
Title holder ready for sizzling showdown in richest G1 feature
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2025 Group 1 Saudi Cup (1,800m) winner Forever Young is bidding for a back-to-back win in the feature event worth US$20 million at King Abdulaziz racecourse on Feb 14.
PHOTO: JCSA
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RIYADH – Defending champion Forever Young heads a stellar list of names put forward for the 2026 US$20 million (S$25.7 million) Group 1 Saudi Cup (1,800m), which will take place at King Abdulaziz racecourse on Feb 14.
The two-day meeting, which begins on Feb 13, has attracted 57 Group 1 winners and 14 Purebred Arabian Group 1 winners. The nominations, spread among 22 countries, will be competing for a total prize money close to US$40 million.
Officially rated the joint-top dirt horse with Sovereignty in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Forever Young has been successful in both his two visits to Saudi Arabia, winning the 2024 Group 3 Saudi Derby (1,600m) before his impressive victory in the world’s richest race in 2025.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the Japanese superstar was last seen winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic
2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion White Abarrio and 2025 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes (1,900m) victor Journalism have been entered along with rising stars Nysos – 2025 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (1,600m) hero – and Magnitude, who claimed the 2025 Grade 2 Clark Stakes (1,800m).
Further strength in depth from Japan could be added by W Heart Bond, the mare who won the 2025 Grade 1 Champions Cup (1,800m) as well as Diktaean and Mikki Fight, who were first and second in the 2025 Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten (2,000m) respectively.
Sayyah – impressive in the 2025 Listed The Crown Prince Cup (2,400m) – and Star Of Wonder, who claimed the Listed King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Cup (1,600m) on Dec 27, are among a number of promising Saudi Arabian-trained horses looking to secure a spot in the signature race.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Godolphin, Rebel’s Romance – the winner of nine top-level races around the world – is set to extend that extraordinary record in the newly upgraded Group 1 Neom Turf Cup (2,100m) worth US$3 million.
The US$2.5 million Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap (3,000m) draws the cream of international stayers.
Both Japan’s Durezza and Irish star Al Riffa have been entered for this race and the Neom Turf Cup.
The US$2 million Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint (1,351m) could be an absolute cracker with entries headed by Jose Francisco D’Angelo’s 2025 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1,000m) winner Shisospicy and Europe’s leading sprinter Lazzat.
The US$2 million Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1,200m) could see international speedsters including Book’em Danno and the Breeders’ Cup-winning Bentornato from the United States, and two incredible talents from the United Arab Emirates in Bhupat Seemar’s Tuz and 2025 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1,200m) winner Dark Saffron.
Khamal, winner of the 2025 Group 1 Premio Derby Nacional (2,400m) in Peru, is nominated for the US$1.5 million Saudi Derby.
The card on Feb 13 includes the International Jockeys’ Challenge, while the US$500,000 Saudi International Handicap (2,100m) has attracted potential runners from as far as Bahrain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Oman, Qatar and Spain.
Among the two Group 1 races for Purebred Arabians, the US$1.5 million Al Mneefah Cup (2,100m) on turf was taken out by RB Kingmaker in 2025, and Helal Alalawi’s grey is set for a return visit.
The US$2 million Obaiyah Arabian Classic (2,000m) on dirt was won by Tilal Al Khalediah in 2025. He could feature again.
Said Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal and chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA): “This is only the seventh time we have staged The Saudi Cup meeting, and it has already delivered countless memorable races and performances.
“We are delighted and honoured that many people have chosen to aim their horses for the 2026 Saudi Cup races and, on behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend our gratitude to the owners and trainers.
“The Saudi Cup has held Group 1 status since 2022, but we will now be staging our first Group 1 race on grass, the Neom Turf Cup.
“We look forward to welcoming connections and racing fans alike next month for an event that has quickly made a huge impact on the global calendar.”
JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA
