Trackwork Notes – Thursday February 12, 2026

Image: Epic Poet at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, February 12, 2026.

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Paul McMillan.

EPIC POET OUT FOR ONE BETTER IN RED SEA TURF

Epic Poet (IRE) goes into the G2 $2.5million Red Sea Turf Handicap Presented by Longines as a serious player once again for trainer David O’Meara. Second last year to Japanese conqueror Byzantine Dream (JPN), the 7-year-old enters in equal form, if not better.

“I think his prep, especially going out to Dubai this year, has been better,” O’Meara said. "I was very pleased with his first run in Dubai, so we’re very happy with him in Saudi Arabia.

“I’m unsure about the draw in 12, but we’re hopeful. He’s very versatile and can sit right behind the leaders or take his time in the back if they’re going hard.”

A gaining second last time to Sunway (FR) in the G3 Al Khail Trophy, a race in which he was third 12 months ago, Epic Poet appears one of the horses to beat.

As unlucky as he was not to get there in time at Meydan, it pales in comparison to last year’s Red Sea Turf, in which he was held up for a few vital strides turning for home, allowing the winner to assert himself quickly. He also had to squeeze through a tight spot between horses in mid-stretch en route to finishing second.

“He was unlucky not to get there last time at Meydan, so hopefully he gets a bit of luck in the running this time,” O’Meara said. “We’ve got to know him a lot better since October/November of 2024. He’s about the same level of horse, he’s just had a better prep going into Dubai and onto Saudi Arabia “this year.”

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BALDING PAIR TAKE TO THE GRASS

Andrew Balding's British team is double-handed and Tarriance (GB) and Marvelman (IRE) taking a visit to the turf track on Thursday under the supervision of the trainer's wife and assistant, Anna Lisa.

“It was just a strong canter on the grass, they'll be back having a canter on the dirt on Friday and it'll be all systems go,” Anna Lisa said.

Marvelman was partnered by PJ McDonald who will also be aboard in the G2 $2m 1351 Turf Sprint presented by Qiddiya City.

The lightly-raced 4-year-old made his breakthrough by powering clear in the G2 Park Stakes at Doncaster over 1400m last September.

“When he won at Doncaster he was really very impressive. We've always liked him at home but we were delighted, it was just fantastic. Now he's in new ownership and we wish the Bond Thoroughbred team a lot of luck with him as he should be a very fun horse to have.”

Tarriance has a Saudi Arabian connection as he runs for the Juddmonte operation as a homebred sired by its totemic sire Frankel.

Now gelded he tackles all-aged rivals for the first time from the bottom of the weights in the G2 $2.5m Red Sea Turf Handicap Presented by Longines, having won the Melrose Handicap at York before finishing last in the G1 St Leger during his 3-year-old season.

“It's great having a Juddmonte horse out here,” Balding said. “He's been a horse that didn't run at two and just improved so much last year. He's very straightforward and hopefully will enjoy the trip.

“They've both earned a place to run, they're both in very good form, they've got solid draws [Tarriance in four and Marvelman in five] and, like all these things, you need a lot of luck but we couldn't be happier with them.”

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JUST BEAT THE ODDS READY TO ROLL IN DIRT SPRINT

Perhaps a little overlooked among an intriguing cast of speedsters set to clash in Saturday’s G2 $2m Riyadh Dirt Sprint Presented by Saudi National Bank is an in-form American sprinter who has done little more than win three of his last four races, including a race named for a past winner of this contest.

Enter Just Beat the Odds (USA), an improving son of Munnings who was last seen taking Aqueduct’s G3 Elite Power Stakes in facile fashion, stamping his ticket to Riyadh.

Owned by Donna Wright and trained by Gregory Sacco in Florida, the 5-year-old is in career-high form, having also taken a pair of confidence-building allowances prior over the same New York track.

“He shipped in super and settled in great,” Sacco reported. “We let him go in a little piece of work the other day, going 400m down the stretch and gallop out 600m and he seems to be on the bridle and really thriving over the course, so we’re really happy with him going into this race.

“It was an honour to be invited after the Elite Power because he ran so well and he came into the race off such a long layoff.

“He wasn’t 100% fit in that race, either, maybe 90%. After that, though, with an eye toward this race, we shipped him down to Tampa after from New York to train in anticipation of the warmer weather. He hasn’t missed a beat in his training leading up to the race.”

Irad Ortiz Jr, who won the inaugural running of this race in 2020 with New York Central (USA), picks up the mount from post 11 of 13.

“Having Irad is never a bad thing because he's a superstar in his own right,” Sacco said. “My horse is a cool horse because he can take it to them early or he can wait if a horse is going crazy up front, but we’ll leave that up to Irad.

“We gelded him last spring and we’re also hoping that it has moved him up to another level - a level good enough to hopefully compete against some of the world’s best sprinters.

“There’s talent from all over the world, so we are just excited to be a part of it and think we will give a good account of ourselves.”

IAN WILLIAMS’ REAL DREAM READY FOR RED SEA TURF

Macable Partnership’s Real Dream (IRE) enters the G2 $2.5m Red Sea Turf Handicap Presented by Longines flying a bit under the radar, but that does not seem to bother trainer Ian Williams.

A three-time winner from 18 starts, the 7-year-old son of Lope de Vega showed smart form finishing a half-length third in July’s Listed Marathon Stakes at Sandown Park before a good fifth of 22 in the Ebor Handicap at York. Ebor winner Ethical Diamond (IRE) subsequently shocked the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November.

Real Dream enters off a sixth in the G3 Al Khail Trophy at Meydan.

“The hope is that he can run as well as he did in the Ebor,” Williams said. “We ran him in the G3 in Dubai as a prep-race for here and he’s come out of that well. If you go back and watch the race, he travelled like the winner until 600m out and took a blow. It was also, in that quality [of field], on the short side for him distance-wise.

“He seems in very good form and would appear in good form, so we like to appear as a challenger. We have probably been lucky to sneak in as reserve, but I am really happy to be there.

“The very flat and fast ground will be a benefit for him and hopefully there will be a strong pace, which is what suits him. Hopefully he can pick them up in the end. It’s a long enough straight and not a 20-horse field, so hopefully we can get a little lucky.”