Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announces likely fields for 2025 Saudi Cup meeting

Romantic Warrior to oppose Pegasus champ White Abarrio and Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River in spectacular sixth renewal of $20 million Saudi Cup

Image:Romantic Warrior will bid to win the G1 Saudi Cup on his first start on dirt

Credit: Hong Kong Jockey Club

Romantic Warrior (IRE), Laurel River (USA) White Abarrio (USA) and Forever Young (JPN) are all on course to clash in a glittering renewal of the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup, the highlight of the two-day Saudi Cup meeting on 21-22 February.

Three-time Hong Kong Cup winner Romantic Warrior, who is to be partnered by long-time jockey, James McDonald, will face a new challenge in his first run on dirt. The Danny Shum-trained gelding will take on last year’s Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River for trainer Bhupat Seemar and 2024 Group 3 Saudi Derby winner Forever Young, trained by Yoshito Yahagi.

White Abarrio the 2023 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion and 2025 Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup winner, now trained by Saffie Joseph, will be making his second trip to Saudi Arabia following a tilt at the same race a year ago.

The strong Japanese contingent is further bolstered by two for trainer Noboru Takagi who fields last year’s Saudi Cup runner-up Ushba Tesoro (JPN) and Wilson Tesoro (JPN), while the Shozo Sasaki-trained Ramjet (JPN) is also set to enter the starting gate.

The Kenny McPeek-trained Rattle N Roll (USA), winner of a domestic Saudi Cup qualifier, the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, will take his place in the line-up alongside the Todd Pletcher-trained Pegasus World Cup runner-up, Locked (USA), forming a formidable USA representation.

Walk Of Stars (GB), who won the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan last time out, will be a second runner for the UAE’s Seemar, while Facteur Cheval (IRE), who chased Walk Of Stars home in third in the Al Maktoum Challenge, will represent France for trainer Jerome Reynier.

The local challenge for the sixth renewal of the world’s most valuable race will be led by El Kodigo (ARG) for trainer Abdulaziz Mashref.

Commenting on the likely fields for The Saudi Cup this year, HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said: “We are delighted with the depth and quality of this year’s Saudi Cup field and are hugely looking forward to a brilliant two days of racing at King Abdulaziz Racecourse as we welcome the best horses around and their connections to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“With the Red Sea Turf Handicap and Riyadh Dirt Sprint both being promoted to international Group 2 status this year we continue to develop and improve the Saudi Cup meeting with the intention of hosting the highest standard of horse and showcasing the best of horse racing to the world.

“I wish the best of luck to all horse connections as they put the final touches to their Saudi Cup campaigns and we wait with great anticipation for the weekend of the 21 and 22 of February.”

Saudi Cup undercard nominations

Several former winners at the Saudi Cup meeting are returning, including the Sir Alex Ferguson co-owned and Richard Fahey-trained Spirit Dancer (GB), winner of last year’s $2 million Group 2 Neom Turf Cup.

The son of Frankel, along with Persica (IRE), trained by Richard Hannon is one of two UK nominations for the 2100m turf contest, while they will be joined by Group 1 winner Al Riffa (FR), who along with Trustyourinstinct (IRE) will represent Irish trainer, Joseph O’Brien.

The Yahagi-trained Shin Emperor (FR), a third-placed finisher in last season’s Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, is set to be joined by fellow Japanese-trained challenger Killer Ability (JPN) who is prepared by Takashi Saito.

They join German nomination Straight (GER) for trainer Marian Falk Weissmeier along with Hamad Al Jehani-trained Haunted Dream (IRE) from Qatar and Sovereign Spirit (GB) from Bahrain trained by Jaber Ramadhan.

The $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m) will be run as a Group 2 for the first time this year and the field is headlined by last season’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser (USA), who represents USA handler Dan Blacker.

Remake (JPN) landed the race in 2024 and will line up again for trainer Koichi Shintani, while the Japanese challenge will be further strengthened by Grade 3 Capella Stakes winner Gabby’s Sister (JPN) for Kazutomo Mori.

Annaf (IRE) will bid for consecutive successes in the $2 million Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint (1351m) for UK trainer Mick Appleby, having been produced perfectly to win last year by rider Rossa Ryan, who will once again be in the saddle.

Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson Stakes victor Howard Wolowitz (USA) is aiming to give the USA a first win in the race. He is a second runner at the Saudi Cup meeting for trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo, who saddled Bentornato to finish third in last year’s Group 3 Saudi Derby.

Group 1 Victoria Cup winner and most recently Breeders’ Cup Mile fourth Ten Happy Rose (JPN), trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, headlines the Japanese nominations.

Third in the race last year, Byline (GB) returns for Bahrain-based trainer Allan Smith, Task Force (GB) will represent the UK and trainer Roger Varian, and the local KSA challenge will be spearheaded by the Thamer Aldaihani-trained duo, Uncle (GB) and Malyan (GB).

Last year’s $2.5 million Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap was won by Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien and this year he sends 2023 Group 1 St Leger victor Continuous (JPN).

A strong representation from the UK features last year’s Group 1 Epsom Derby fourth Deira Mile (IRE), trained by Owen Burrows as well as the John and Thady Gosden-trained Royal Ascot winner Gregory (GB) and Al Nayyir (GB) for trainer Tom Clover.

Others in the likely field include Japan’s Byzantine Dream (JPN), Presage Nocturne (FR) from France and the UAE’s Trafalgar Square (FR).

Unbeaten Japanese filly Myriad Love (JPN), trained by Koichi Shintani headlines nominations for the $1.5 million Group 3 Saudi Derby, which was won last year by Yahagi’s Forever Young.

Yahagi is set to field Mistress (JPN) this year, with Happy Man (JPN) and Shin Forever (USA) other likely Japanese contenders.

Argentine Group 1 winner Guistino (ARG) holds a nomination for UAE-based trainer Julio Olascoaga, with Golden Vekoma (USA) also an interesting contender for UAE trainer Ahmad Harmash.

The Chad Summers-trained Cyclone State (USA) is set to run, with Ireland and the UK also holding nominations.

In the $2 million PA Group 1 Obaiya Arabian Classic, Tilal Al Khalediah (KSA) will be seeking to win the race for a second time having landed the contest in 2023. The Nasir Mutlaq-trained seven-year-old will face international challengers from the UAE, Qatar and France as well as a strong KSA nomination.

Last year, Tilal Al Khalediah was seen winning the $1.5 million PA Group 1 Al Mneefah Cup, which will once again be run on the first day of the Saudi Cup meeting (21 February), and this year his stablemate, Asfan Al Khalediah (KSA) will line up in the 2100m turf contest.

Asfan Al Khalediah could face opponents including Mutbahy Athbah (FR) and Are’ej (FR) from France, Sunny Du Loup (FR) from Oman, RB Kingmaker (USA) from the UAE among others.

The $500,000 Saudi International Handicap has attracted nominations from Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Qatar and Bahrain, joining the local KSA nominations.

View the list of Saudi Cup 2025 Likely Fields here:

https://issuu.com/equestrian-jcsa/docs/2025_saudi_cup_-_likely_fields?fr=sMzQzYTc5Mzk3ODI