Saudi Cup features international flavor, intriguing angles

Fourteen runners will chase the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.

The sixth edition of the Saudi Cup is full of international flavor and fascinating angles as Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior sets out to prove he is as adaptable on a dirt track. The Danny Shum-trained 7-year-old has proven to be in a league of his own on turf in Hong Kong when becoming a multiple Group 1 winner.

In contrast, the leading Japan-trained hopeful Forever Young is a familiar face to those in Saudi Arabia, having been so impressive when winning last year’s renewal of the Saudi Derby (G3) on the same dirt track in Riyadh.

Romantic Warrior has found himself drawn favorably in barrier 3 for Saturday’s assignment and, after walking the dirt track and spending plenty of time surveying the scene, Shum is confident that the recent winner of the Jebel Hatta (G1) in Dubai will indeed have no problem with the surface.

When Forever Young won at this meeting last year, Yoshito Yahagi’s star did so in dramatic style, getting in front in the final stride under Ryusei Sakai. But if he is to win this famous prize, he will have to do it from the widest barrier in 14.

Hoping to go one better than last year in the Saudi Cup is another Japan runner, Ushba Tesoro, and Noboru Takagi’s charge is another who cannot be ignored on Saturday after finishing in the runner-up position in last year’s Dubai World Cup (G1).

Takagi also runs Wilson Tesoro, who was second behind Forever Young in the Toyko Daishoten (G1) in December, while third-place finisher on that occasion, Ramjet, also is back to renew the rivalry for trainer Shozo Sasaki in what is once again a strong Japan representation.

Another horse with proven winning form at King Abdulaziz Racecourse to add interest to this year’s renewal is the Kenny McPeek-trained Rattle N Roll.

Decorated American trainer McPeek targeted The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3) in January, and an impressive victory on that occasion sees Rattle N Roll primed for another big showing.

Walk Of Stars arrives in Saudia Arabia in terrific form for Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar, with the 6-year-old winning the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) last month. He defeated another of his weekend rivals, the French challenger Facteur Cheval, who has elite European form and represents trainer Jerome Reynier.

The 4-year-old Al Musmak is possibly the best of the Saudi Arabia-trained runners this year for leading trainer Thamer Aldaihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah. Al Musmak had a nice winning prep race last month after arriving from the United Kingdom and will be joined by stable companion Wait To Excel, who was second to Rattle N Roll on his previous outing.

The 2025 line-up is completed by three starters for Muhaideb Abdullah Almuhaideb and trainer Abdulaziz Mishref, with the South American imports El Kodigo and Intense For Me joined by familiar face Defunded, and Wootton’sun, who was third to Rattle N Roll last time, represents trainer Abdullah Al Kahtani.