Saudi International Handicap Winner Returns
Image: Gran Descans wins at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on February 13, 2026.
Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Ali AlZenaidi
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GRAN DESCANS HAS FIRST OUTING SINCE THE SAUDI CUP WEEKEND
Thursday October 29, 2026: Saudi International Handicap winner Gran Descans (GB) will have his first start since scoring on The Saudi Cup weekend in the feature SAR150,000 Eastern Governance Region Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.
The UK import will have Camilio Ospina aboard in the weekend’s final event over 2400m having been ridden by French ace Mickael Barzalona when scoring for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons back in February, following his third under the same pilot in the Listed Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup.
White Stable hold a strong hand with top-rated Sayyah (USA) also declared and the four-year-old bids for a fourth consecutive win having last been seen landing the Red Sea Turf Qualifier in January.
Direct Security (IRE), second in the Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup and eighth in the Group 1 Howden Neom Turf Cup itself, bids to bounce back after an underwhelming start two weeks ago, while the Red Stable of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz rely on Arpenteur (IRE) and El Jabartee (IRE).
The preceding race is the SAR150,000 Asia Cup for fillies and mares over 1400m in which White Stable again have leading claims with the Ospina-ridden Nowafaa (KSA), who has won six of her 11 starts and the former Taif Cup Fillies winner arrives here on the back of a striking sucess in a conditions race at the same venue in August.
Owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah’s Misaaeel (KSA) was over six lengths adrift in second that day and reposes under Muhammad Aldaham, with White Stable also represented by King Khalid Racecourse Championship runner-up Fallat Kheir (KSA).
Kawafill (KSA) was only fifth on that occasion but has some back class with the taking winner of the King Abdulaziz Racetrack Champion here in January set to start under Eiad Alturisi.
Friday’s feature is the SAR150,000 Almadinah Almonawarah Region Governorate Cup over 2400m in which White Stable again could dominate with course-and-distance winner Almaqam (KSA).
Ospina’s mount took the Al-Jouf Region Governorate Cup by nearly 13 lengths in January but hasn’t raced since finishing 12th in the Asian Racing Federation Cup Local Handicap on The Saudi Cup undercard.
White Stable’s Mana'aeh (KSA) was only ninth in the Al-Jouf Region Governorate Cup and reposes having landed a Taif Handicap in August, while Ashjaa (KSA) should also be competitive as a former course-and-distance winner in the Prince Saad Bin Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Cup who was last seen in the International Jockeys’ Challenge in February.
Nine runners have also been declared for the juvenile SAR150,000 King Khalid Military Academy Cup over 1600m in which Taif Cup Prep and JCSA Contribution winner Trankeelo (KSA) bids to take his career haul to three wins in four starts.
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