Saudi Cup takes shape

RIYADH – Defending champion Forever Young will face a strong American challenge, including two runners for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, as the likely fields were announced by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup meetings at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb 13 and 14.

Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2,000m) hero is one of three Saudi Cup entries for Japan, along with the Noriyuke Hori-trained Luxor Cafe and Sunrise Zipangu, who will fly the flag for the country’s first female handler, Kyoko Maekawa.

Forever Young – who is also nominated in Dubai for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2,000m) on March 28 – returns to Riyadh after edging out Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior last February to provide Yahagi with a remarkable second strike in the US$20 million (S$25.4 million) feature, following on from the victory of Panthalassa in 2023.

If the son of Real Steel successfully retains his title, he will be the first horse to win two Saudi Cups.

There is a strong American representation with six of the gates to be taken by US runners.

Chief among them are the Baffert pair of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile (1,600m) winner Nysos and Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes (1,800m) winner Nevada Beach.

Also making the journey is Steve Asmussen’s Magnitude – who recently beat the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (1,800m) winner, Hit Show, in the 2025 Grade 2 Clark Stakes (1,800m) – with Kenny McPeek’s returning Rattle N Roll, who is partly owned by Saudi connections Sharaf Al Hariri with the Lucky Seven Stables, back in fifth.

The latter will again line up over 1,800m. He won the 2025 Group 3 The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (1,800m) and finished fifth in the Saudi Cup.

The American challenge will be completed by David Jacobson’s Banishing and the Brad Cox-trained Grade 2 Cigar Mile (1,600m) winner, Bishops Bay, who carries the colours of the White Stable’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Sons, following his November purchase.

Mhally earned his place with victory in the same qualifier which Rattle N Roll won in 2025, and will represent owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah.

The other local-trained runner is the former Cox inmate, Star Of Wonder – who is unbeaten in two Riyadh outings and scooped the Listed King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Cup (1,600m) in December – also running in the White Stable’s colours.

The first running of Neom Turf Cup as a Group 1 event will see runners from Japan, UK, Ireland, France, Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia compete in the 2,100m feature, which carries an increase in prize money from US$2 million in 2025 to US$3 million.

Yahagi’s Shin Emperor is back to defend his crown and will clash with Karl Burke’s Group 2 Bahrain International Trophy (2,000m) winner Royal Champion, former French runner Survie – who has joined UK trainer George Boughey and now carries Doreen Tabor’s colours – and White Stable’s Saudi qualifier winner, Bolide Porto.

French trainer Jerome Reynier will also unleash Facteur Cheval back on turf, after the seven-year-old tried his hand on dirt in 2025 and ran seventh in the Saudi Cup.

Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien dominates the likely field in the US$2.5 million Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap.

He has three entries in Group 2 winner Tennessee Stud, Melbourne Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes and Sons And Lovers, with his fellow countryman Willie Mullins – winner of the 2021 Neom Turf Cup – having entered Absurde.

Epic Poet ran an unlucky second in 2025 and is back again over the 3,000m event for trainer David O’Meara, with fellow Englishman James Owen set to have his first Saudi Cup night runner with Burdett Road.

Japan won the race in 2025 and has both Struve and Vermicelles engaged, while local interest lies with impressive qualifier winner Sayyah, who bolted up by over seven lengths.

Royal Ascot winner Lazzat is the star name in the US$2 million Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint. He will take on former winner Annaf, Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave and American runners Time To Dazzle, Reef Runner and Zio Jo.

Also in the line-up are qualifier winner Zefzaf and the Saudi-trained pair of Love De Vega and Geography.

The US$2 million Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1,200m) is another international affair, with Baffert having engaged Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1,200m) runner-up Imagination along with other American hopes Lovesick Blues and Just Beat The Odds.

Japan has five in the likely field, including the 2025 Group 3 Saudi Derby (1,600m) runner-up Shin Forever, while Hong Kong’s Manfred Man will send Self Improvement, who won the 2025 Group 3 Korea Sprint (1,200m) in South Korea.

American handlers are well represented in the US$1.5 million Saudi Derby, with Cox’s My World, McPeek’s Acknowledgemeplz and Asmussen’s Obliteration bidding for glory and the 30 Kentucky Derby points available to the winner.

The US team will take on five runners from Japan, UK representative Shayem, French runner Cielo Di Roma and Al Haram, who scored by over seven lengths in the Saudi 2000 Guineas (1,600m). JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA