A US$10 million prize awaits one of the 13 entries in the fourth running of the Saudi Cup this weekend.
The richest horse race ever held, with its US$20 million total prize pot, will take place at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Racetrack on Saturday evening.
Last year’s winner Emblem Road will return in an attempt to become the first horse to retain the crown.
Owned by Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz, the 5-year-old has a 15.00 chance of repeating last year’s feat.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 23rd, 1:00 P.M. (GMT)
Trained by Mitab Almulawah, Emblem Road will this time be ridden by Alexis Moreno after Wigberto Ramos sat on board 12 months ago.
Moreno was also on board for a victory on this track a month ago, which came after a disappointing fifth of six in the Grand Prix de Vichy in July, his only race away from Riyadh.
Less familiar to Saudi surroundings is the 2.75 favourite, Taiba, one of two runners for American trainer Bob Baffert.
The 4-year-old will be partnered with regular jockey Mike Smith and the two most recently combined to win the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita in December. Of his seven career races, six have been Grade 1s, with only one failing to result in a top three finish.
Baffert’s other entry, also owned by Zedan Racing Stables, is the 4.50 second favourite Country Grammer, ridden by Frankie Dettori.
Country Grammer has never finished worse than second since switching to Baffert, including being runner-up to Emblem Road in last year’s Saudi Cup when Flavien Prat took the ride. The 6-year-old has been ridden by Dettori twice since, including a win in the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita in December.
Ryan Moore will be on board 9.00 shot Jun Light Bolt for the first time for Yasuo Tomomichi. It will be the 6-year-old’s first race outside of Japan, but he is in form winning his last three with the most recent being the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo.
Second in that race in December was Crown Pride for Koichi Shintani, whose last win was the UAE Derby at Meydan last March. That was Damien Lane’s only previous ride on the 4-year-old. Is similar success on the cards?
As well as Emblem Road, three other runners are priced at 15.00; his stablemate Scotland Yard who has only been run twice; and two other Japanese-trained entrants – Cafe Pharoah and Panthalassa.
Geoglyph’s form has been patchy since winning the Satsuki Sho in April and it’s 34.00 bar.
