Saudi Cup: 12 probable starters are listed for $20 million test
Photo:
Shamela Hanley / Eclipse Sportswire
Forever Young, the favorite in international futures betting, leads the list of 13 horses listed by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia as probable starters Feb. 22 in the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh.
Romantic Warrior and Laurel River are on course to clash with Forever Young, who was showing at 2-1 at most U.K. bookmakers monitored by the website Oddschecker.
Report: Sierra Leone, White Abarrio will miss Saudi Cup.
Kenny McPeek-trained Rattle N Roll, first in a domestic Saudi Cup qualifier, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3), will take his place in the lineup.
Three-time Hong Kong Cup (G1) winner Romantic Warrior, who will
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 Dubai
World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River for trainer Bhupat Seemar and 2024 Saudi
Derby (G3) victor Forever Young, trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
The strong Japan contingent is further bolstered by two for
trainer Noboru Takagi, who fields last year’s Saudi Cup runner-up Ushba Tesoro and
Wilson Tesoro. Shozo Sasaki-trained Ramjet also is set to enter the starting
gate.
Walk Of Stars, who won the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) at
Meydan last time out, will be a second runner for Dubai-based Seemar. Facteur
Cheval, who chased Walk Of Stars home in third in the Al Maktoum Challenge,
will represent France for trainer Jérôme Reynier.
Argentina-bred El Kodigo, racing for trainer Abdulaziz
Mashref, will lead the local challenge for the sixth renewal of the race.
The JCSA news release that was sent Friday still listed White Abarrio as a probable starter even though the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) winner was ruled out of the race this week by lead owner Mark Cornett, according to Thoroughbred Daily News.
Locked was listed as probable, but owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners ruled him out Saturday, according to TDN. Wellman said the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 1 would be the immediate target.
Sierra Leone, who had been the international futures favorite for the race, also was removed from consideration for the Saudi Cup because of a leg abscess, trainer Chad Brown told TDN. His name was not on Friday’s news release.
| Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer | Last start / Next start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Forever Young Real Steel |
7.89 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Romantic Warrior Acclamation |
7.89 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Ushba Tesoro Orfevre |
7.62 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Laurel River Into Mischief |
7.33 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Facteur Cheval Ribchester |
7.24 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Rattle N Roll Connect |
7.07 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Walk of Stars Dubawi |
6.34 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Al Musmak Night of Thunder |
0.00 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
El Kodigo Equal Stripes |
0.00 |
1st, Gran Premio Jose Pedro Ramirez G1 |
Probable | ||
| Last race Next race |
1st, Gran Premio Jose Pedro Ramirez G1 2025 Saudi Cup G1 |
|||||
|
|
Ramjet Majestic Warrior |
0.00 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Wait to Excel Postponed |
0.00 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Wilson Tesoro Kitasan Black |
0.00 | Probable | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Soul of an Angel Atreides |
7.83 | Possible | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Defunded Dialed In |
6.85 | Possible | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
|
|
Intense for Me Fortify |
0.00 | 1st, Carlos Pellegrini Internacional G1 2025 Saudi Cup G1 |
Possible | ||
| Last race Next race |
1st, Carlos Pellegrini Internacional G1 2025 Saudi Cup G1 |
|||||
|
|
Wootton’Sun Wootton Bassett |
0.00 | Possible | |||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
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