Six Japanese horses and two Americans square off against the $229 winner of the 2022 renewal in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

Emblem Road, a Saudi-based horse born and sold in America, swooped to a shock victory in last year’s Saudi Cup, pushing past Country Grammer in the final half-furlong of the 1,800-meter, one-turn contest.

Six-year-old Country Grammer is back for more and has brought a friend, Taiba, his 4-year-old stablemate trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Saudi native Amr Zedan.

With The Moonlight probably has no real rival Friday at Meydan Racecourse in the featured Group 2, $180,000 Balanchine Stakes. And if she does, that horse, Tranquil Lady, comes from the same training yard.  

Canberra Racecourse in Australia is home to the 4-year-old gelding Manderboss and could be the location of his biggest win in the $102,200 Canberra Mile on Thursday evening.

Manderboss has won 4 of 18 starts in his career, and is unbeaten in two starts at Canberra – a maiden race at seven furlongs in January 2022 and a minor handicap at a mile last March.

Paul Lally:

R1 4-1-9-10
R2 1-11-7-8
R3 1-2-5-4
R4 9-1-7-4
R5 3-4-5-1
R6 1-4-5-2
R7 1-8-3-9
R8 8-5-9-12
R9 6-4-5-3

Best Bet R5 N3 Lean Hero
Longshot R4 N9 Vantastic Choice
Play R7 QQP 1-3-8

Mark McNamara:

R1 4.9.6.10
R2 7.2.11.6
R3 4.2.1.3
R4 4.11.3.7
R5 2.3.1.5
R6 5.4.9.1
R7 3.8.1.6
R8 10.8.5.3
R9 6.5.2.4

Best Bet R1 N4 M M Johnny
Longshot R8 N10 Silver Hammer
Play R1 Q/QP 4.6.9

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, February 22, 2023)

Military Mission and Spirit Ridge have become familiar foes this year in Australia, and meet for the third time in 2023 in the Group 3 Launceston Cup at Launceston Racecourse on Tuesday evening.

Spirit Ridge and Military Mission were second and third behind Chalk Spirit in the Australia Day Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Warwick Farm Racecourse on Jan. 26. In the Group 3 Hobart Cup at Hobart Racecourse on Feb. 12, Military Mission won by 2 1/2 lengths over Travelling Gigolo. Spirit Ridge was third, beaten three lengths as the 2-1 favorite.

The 5-year-old Australian mare Condrieu had a late start to her career, finishing third in her debut in September.

A win in her second start, a maiden race at seven furlongs at Goulburn Racecourse on Feb. 5, was widely expected. Condrieu was the 3-5 favorite.

The victory has led to a new distance for Condrieu in a one-mile handicap at Wyong Racecourse on Monday evening.

Condrieu, trained by John O’Shea, should handle the extra furlong. At Goulburn, Condrieu rallied from fifth in a field of seven to win by slightly more than a half-length.

From a maiden race in late 2020 to his Grade 1 debut in Sunday’s $1.73 million February Stakes, Lemon Pop has been nearly unstoppable on the dirt track at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

Lemon Pop ($4.20) won the February Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths as the favorite, closing from fifth in a field of 16 under jockey Ryusei Sakai to take the lead from the longshot Helios with more than a furlong remaining. Lemon Pop had enough of an advantage to hold off 8-1 Red le Zele, who closed from 15th.

Ugly Nicos has not won since he beat maidens in March 2021, a drought that is not as severe as it seems.

Ugly Nicos is winless in six starts in that span, one race after his win in 2021 and five starts since mid-December. The losing streak could easily end in a seven-furlong handicap at Armidale Racecourse on Sunday evening.

Paul Lally:

R1: 10-6-5-14

R2: 7-8-12-3

R3: 6-1-7-2

R4: 3-9-2-4

R5: 1-6-8-5

R6: 3-5-12-6

R7: 3-7-5-4

R8: 6-2-1-3

R9: 8-6-3-10

R10: 4-2-6-8

Best Bet: R4 N3 Innoconstruction

Longshot: R7 N3 Winning Dreamer

Play: R6 QQP 3-5-12

Mark McNamara:

R1 - 6.10.5.8

R2 - 12.3.2.7

R3 - 6.7.1.2

R4 - 3.2.9.8

R5 - 1.9.6.4

R6 - 3.5.6.10

R7 - 8.7.4.5

R8 - 6.1.3.2

R9 - 6.8.10.2