Straight No Chaser arrived from America with the billing as one of the major equine attractions of this year’s Saudi Cup meeting. He duly dazzled in the Group 2, US$2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Lightly-raced for a 6-year-old but brought to a peak by trainer Dan Blacker, Straight No Chaser was last seen in November when taking the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. His victory in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint earns him an automatic bid for a return attempt in 2025.

Kept in training by the MyRacehorse syndicate for another campaign, Straight No Chaser was swiftly into the lead under John Velazquez and shrugged off the attentions of Jasper Krone. Velazquez pressed on over the final two furlongs and although Muqtahem emerged as a brief danger, he was kept at bay by a clear three and three-quarter lengths in 1:11.16. The time was clocked without a run-up, which is typical for Saudi races.

“He broke really well and I was actually, after Jasper Krone came up on the outside, going to see if I could get him back a little bit and tried to grab him,” Velazquez said of Straight No Chaser.

“He started to fight me, so I just said, ‘OK, I’ll leave him alone’ and then he relaxed a little better. He broke so sharp and I was trying to get loose reins.

“Then he was looking for the bit and I didn’t want to touch him. I just wanted him to relax. All of a sudden (Jasper Krone) took back a little bit and my horse engaged and I said, ‘Let’s go’. Turning for home he was moving really well and then passing the sixteenth pole he idled a little bit and started looking around and I said, ‘Oh no, no idling here’ and he finished up well.”

“I’m just really proud of the horse and I’m glad he gets to prove himself on the global stage against the fastest horses in the world,” Blacker said.

“We’ll see how he comes out, but hopefully on to Dubai.”

Golden Vekoma catches Shin Forever in Saudi Derby

United Arab Emirates representative Golden Vekoma provided a major moment for British jockey Connor Beasley as he came out top in a fine finish to the Group 3, US$1.5 million Saudi Derby.

Trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash targeted the one-mile dirt race after his victory in last month’s UAE 2000 Guineas. He was ridden with confidence by Beasley as the Japanese challengers quickly made their way to the head of the field.

It was Shin Forever who made the break for home under Akira Sugawara and it looked as if his move would prove decisive until deep into the straight, with Golden Vekoma wearing him down and scoring by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:38.19. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back to Saudi Arabia-based Mhally, who chased on but never threatened the top pair.

Cyclone State, the lone United States-based contender in the race, settled midfield on the outside in the early stages. The Chad Summers trainee could not keep pace around the turn and weakened to finish ninth and last.

“I am very proud,” Harmash said of Golden Vekoma. “He’s a good horse and he has a big heart, he’ll try always. He’s been running very well over the mile so we thought we’d try here then wait for the UAE Derby.

“There was only question mark when he finished third (on debut in December), he didn’t have any experience when we ran him, since that he has been running very well for us.

“It’s good to win here, when you travel to another country it’s hard, but it’s good when you show your horse. It’s good for the UAE and good for us.”

“These were deep waters today but he showed his class,” Beasley said. It’s a big day for myself and the whole team.

“It was delightful, we were going good fractions down the back and it was just a matter of keeping tabs on them. Once I hit the straight there, he went about his job really well and galloped all the way to the line.”

“It was a really close finish,” Akira Sugawara said after riding second-place Shin Forever. “He felt really good and travelled very well, so I was hoping that he would stay on until the finish.  He has been training well over the surface throughout the week and he ran beautifully today. I was pretty confident of his chances coming into the race.”

Shin Emperor delivers for Japan in Neom Turf Cup

Japanese master trainer Yoshito Yahagi was back in the winner’s enclosure at King Abdulaziz Racecourse once again as Shin Emperor took the Group 1, US$2 million Neom Turf Cup with authority.

Yahagi is up to five wins at the Saudi Cup meeting, including with Panthalassa in the 2023 Saudi Cup and now Shin Emperor. Shin Emperor is a full brother to 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass and a half-brother to 2018 champion turf female Sistercharlie. Yahagi tried to win the Arc with Shin Emperor last year before running second in the Japan Cup (G1).

The chestnut swiftly took up the running under Ryusei Sakai, with Trustyourinstinct on his tail but he extended into the home straight and his advantage was never threatened as he passed the post a length and three-quarters in front of Calif and Al Riffa in a time of 2:07.74 for 1 5/16 miles over turf rated good to firm.

“Shin Emperor was definitely the best horse in the field,” Yahagi said. “For our strategy, as long as he jumped well, he would take the lead to avoid some disadvantages or interference.

“With 200 meters (about a furlong) remaining, I was convinced he would win. In consideration of today’s track condition and bias, we thought the front position would be advantageous.

“Right after the Japan Cup last year, we have been targeting this race.  He is a very versatile type of horse and can handle any distance, so I would like to ask someone who can tell me which distance is the best for him.

“We will go to the Dubai Sheema Classic next but as for the further plan, we have to discuss with the owner.  In my mind, I would like to go to Ascot and York.”

“He ran very well,” trainer Fawzi Nass said of second-place Calif. “Probably the slower pace affected him, but he was beaten by a Group 1 horse. Obviously he took the shortest route along the rail with a slow pace and it took time to get out and get going. Once he did, he finished the race well. The Sheema Classic is next.”

Murphy lives Byzantine Dream in Red Sea Turf

Oisin Murphy steered Byzantine Dream home a winner in the US$2.5 million Red Sea Turf Handicap.

Tomoyasu Sakaguchi’s 4-year-old was among the improving types in the 1 7/8-mile event, and the multiple Great Britain-champion jockey anchored him toward the back of the field as Gregory took them along.

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Presage Nocturne made a bid for glory with at the quarter pole before Byzantine Dream quickly took over, drifting toward the rail. The Japan colt was made to work as Epic Poet, who had been stuck behind horses, finally was unleashed, and jockey Danny Tudhope closed the gap to 1 1/4 lengths. Continuous with Ryan Moore riding finished third.

“He broke OK, but I thought there would be a reasonable amount of pace, and they went quicker than I expected,” Murphy said. “He felt super under me yesterday morning, although I only had about two hours’ sleep when I got on him, but it was worth it.

“He has a great turn of foot, and I never had to touch his mouth on the run around, and that always helps. From the time they went by the winning post the first time, as long as I did everything right, from there he was going to win.”

The winning time was 3:06.630.

Ascoli Piceno wins; Japan goes 1-2 in Turf Sprint

There was a famous one-two for Japan in the US$2 million 1351 Turf Sprint as Ascoli Piceno stuck her head past Win Marvel in a dramatic finish to the Group 2 contest.

Christophe Lemaire, the France rider based in Japan with a wealth of experience riding in the world’s premier races, kept Win Marvel and Kohei Matsuyama in his sights as they made a bold bid for the front.

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Yoichi Kuroiwa-trained Ascoli Piceno, a filly who was a top-level winner over a mile as a juvenile and was second in the Oka Sho that is Japan’s 1,000 Guineas, used a combination of speed and stamina to chase down her compatriot to finish a head up. Goemon closed to within a length in third.

“I was behind until the last possible moment and then she produced that really good turn of foot that we know she has,” Lemaire said. “It was a shorter distance (6 3/4 furlongs) than she usually runs over, but she follows easily in a race, and today, being fresh, she was straight into a good rhythm, and I knew that she was going to produce a great performance.”

The winning time was 1:17.879 for the unique, 1,351-meter distance that is in honor of the year on the Hijri calendar when Saudi Arabia became a kingdom. That was 1932 on the Gregorian calendar.