Global showdown draws closer with 14-strong field for The Saudi Cup

Romantic Warrior and Forever Young among Saturday’s contenders

Image: King Abdulaziz Racecourse, The Saudi Cup 2024

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia //Matt Stone

Friday 21 February, 2025 – Excitement is building for the richest horse race in the world with 14 runners chasing the US$20m Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.

The sixth edition of The Saudi Cup is full of international flavour and fascinating angles as Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior (IRE) 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 Japanese-trained hopeful Forever Young (JPN) is a familiar face to those in Saudi Arabia having been so impressive when winning last year’s renewal of the Saudi Derby on the same dirt track in Riyadh.

Romantic Warrior has found himself drawn favourably in barrier 3 for Saturday’s assignment and having walked the dirt track and spent plenty of time surveying the scene, Shum is confident that the recent winner of the Jebel Hatta 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 Japanese runner, Ushba Tesoro (JPN), and Noboru Takagi’s charge is another who cannot be ignored on Saturday having also finished in the runner-up position in last year’s Dubai World Cup.

Takagi also runs Wilson Tesoro (JPN), who was second behind Forever Young in the Grade 1 Toyko Daishoten in December, while third place finisher on that occasion, Ramjet (JPN), is also back to renew rivalry for trainer Shozo Sasaki in what is once again a strong Japanese representation.

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

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

Walk Of Stars (GB) arrives in Saudia Arabia in terrific form for Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar with the 6-year-old winning Group 1 the Al Maktoum Challenge last month. He defeated another of his weekend rivals, the French challenger Facteur Cheval (IRE), who has elite European form and represents trainer Jerome Reynier.

The 4-year-old Al Musmak (IRE) is possibly the best of the Saudi Arabian-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 (GB), 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 (ARG) and Intense For Me (ARG) joined by familiar face Defunded (USA), while Wootton’sun (FR), who was third to Rattle N Roll last time, represents trainer Abdullah Al Kahtani.

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