Taif Sprint Cup Headlines Week Seven

Image: International Jockeys’ Challenge winner Muhammad Aldaham rides Ak'haal in the final and feature race on Saturday.

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/ Neville Hopwood

Thirteen Juveniles Chase Valuable Prize

Thursday 04 September 2025 – Week seven of the Taif racing season at King Khalid Racecourse closes out on Saturday with 13 two-year-olds competing for a valuable US$106,000 in the 1200m Taif Sprint Cup.

One of the eight newcomers in the field could get their career off to a profitable start and chief among them is the Muhammad Aldaham-ridden and Thamer Aldaihani-trained Ak'haal (IRE), who make his debut for owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah.

Form is thin on the ground but four of those who have raced clashed in the same event two weeks ago with Salman Aladhayani’s Alaghr (USA), set to be ridden by Abdullah Alfairouz, and Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz-owned and Alex Moreno-ridden Newtown Runner (USA) finishing second and third respectively.

The other main event on Saturday is the 1400m Arabian Mares contest with last season’s Riyadh success story Lacy Des Vialettes (FR) back out for her third run of the campaign.

The Mustafa Almosa-trained filly won her first four starts and Khaled Almimoni’s mount is working back into form having not been disgraced with her fifth-placed effort in the Taif Arabian Derby.

Recent winning form is represented by Mubarizat Alkhalediah (KSA) in the colours of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz & Sons with Fahad Alfouraidi taking over in the saddle from Adel Alfouraidi after the five-year-old returned from an absence with victory on August 22.

Headlining Friday’s card is the King Khalid Racecourse Championship Prep over 1600m with the 18-strong field headed by champion Alfouraidi’s mount Waqtuk (USA) for trainer Abdulaziz Almosa.

The four-year-old colt built on his comeback effort to score nicely in the Makkah Almokarramah Reg.Gov.Cup from the reopposing Final Destination (GB) and Painters Palette (IRE) amongst others, and boasts strong Riyadh form having been second to Scotland Yard (USA) in the Tuwaiq Cup at The Saudi Cup meeting.

Also on Friday is the King Khalid Racecourse Championship Prep for fillies and mares over 1400m, which would appear to be a rematch between Snafiya (IRE), for jockey Muhammad Aldaham and Aldaihani, and seasonal debutant Alfaisaleyah (GB).

The latter, who has the assistance of Alfouraidi and carries the Red Stable colours of Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz, hasn’t been seen since finding Snafiya a head too good in Riyadh last March in the King Abdulaziz Racetrack Champion.

Snafiya does have a run under her belt though and just missed top billing on her comeback run last month when racing returned to Taif.

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