It makes sense to believe the five American dirt horses in the $20 million Saudi Cup hold a built-in advantage. After all, the Saudi Cup is dirt, which is what American horses still do best. However, the main track at King Abdulaziz Racetrack is perhaps unlike any on which they have raced.
It’s a quiet week of racing at Meydan in Dubai, especially considering the fireworks taking place this weekend about 600 miles nearly due west. There sits Riyadh, site of Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup and rich undercard, while Thursday at Meydan, the Thoroughbred feature is the Group 3, $300,000 Nad Al Sheba Trophy Stakes.
Hong Kong selections for Wednesday, February 26 at Happy Valley.
According to assistant trainer Riley Mott, Tacitus has matured and is traveling well over the King Abdulaziz surface in preparation for Saturday night's $20 million Saudi Cup.
Twice in the last four months, Encouraging has looked like a winner in the stretch in Hong Kong only to finish behind Golden Sixty. At least, Encouraging is keeping good company.
Horse racing maintains a relatively low profile in Saudi Arabia, and the only Thoroughbred track in the city of Riyadh was quiet during late training hours Monday morning. That will change Saturday evening when many of the top male handicap horses from the United States, along with the top female, race for a $20 million purse in the inaugural Saudi Cup on the sweeping turns of King Abdulaziz Racetrack.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong selections and analysis for Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at Happy Valley.
Mozu Ascot earned a fees-paid berth to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7 and Cafe Pharoah earned 30 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2 with stakes wins at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.
Neither a recent illness nor a longer distance could stop Golden Sixty from winning another race in Hong Kong. Golden Sixty pushed his record to nine wins from 10 starts as he bolted to a half-length win Sunday at Sha Tin in the $1.28 million Hong Kong Classic Cup.
Hong Kong selections for Saturday, February 22 at Sha Tin.
