Saudi Cup meeting: guides to the key races and a 14-1 tip

Japan’s powerful squad on Saturday includes the globetrotting Shin Emperor, who showed European racegoers what he was all about when finishing on the heels of Economics and Auguste Rodin in last season’s Irish Champion Stakes. 

He didn’t make an impact on deep ground in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next time out but probably ran as well as he has ever done when runner-up in the Japan Cup last time. The four-year-old is going to be a tough nut to crack. 

Al Riffa, trained by Joseph O’Brien, is an obvious threat, although he has looked well served by good ground or slower. He chased home City Of Troy in the Eclipse last summer before romping home in Group One company at Germany. I fancied him for the Arc after those efforts, but he never got into contention under Yutaka Take, who will again be in the saddle. 

Spirit Dancer seeks to repeat his success of 12 months ago. He’s been an incredible money-spinner for Richard Fahey and connections, who include his breeder, Sir Alex Ferguson, but he may have to settle for place money this time. 

This is a “Sprint” in name only, as it is run over almost seven furlongs. 

Annaf took the spoils for Mick Appleby and Rossa Ryan and the same team bid to repeat the trick. Annaf has not won in the interim and will need to be sharper from the gates than he was at Lingfield this month, when a beaten favourite, if he is to again hit the jackpot. 

Japan’s Ascoli Piceno heads the betting and, having had only seven races, this Group One-placed colt is less exposed than most of these. 

Task Force is interesting on what will be his first start for Roger Varian but each-way players could do worse than risk Witness Stand, who has joined Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole, having previously been trained by Tom Clover. 

His official rating of 114 – higher than Annaf and task Force, who are shorter in the market - puts him bang in the picture and seven furlongs has looked his optimum trip. He progressed well last year and his emphatic defeat of English Oak and Jumby in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury in September reads well. 

A handicap with a first prize of £1.2 million! It’s a colossal sum given the grade of race and, not surprisingly,  plenty of Group winners from Europe have been lured. 

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore teamed up to win last year’s renewal with Tower Of London. They now rely on Continuous, but he looks favourite by default as he was disappointing last year after a productive time in 2023. 

More interesting is Deira Mile, who finished fourth in the Derby before being third past the post (demoted to fourth) in the St Leger last season. He’s shown a few quirks, but connections have resisted gelding him and hopefully he will mature with age. 

Gregory has lost a couple of bits of his anatomy after an underwhelming time last year, plus is being equipped with blinkers. He’s not won since his Queen’s Vase triumph at Royal Ascot in 2023.  

Al Nayyir heads the weights and this smart stayer seems to enjoy his travels around the world, although he was only fourth in this race last year and has more to shoulder. Prydwen will be fit from his exploits in Meydan but requires more. 

The World’s richest race carries a purse of $20 million and promises to be an epic showdown between Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior and Japanese ace Forever Young. 

Romantic Warrior has been doing his winning on turf, easily winning the Jebel Hatta in Dubai last month en route to here. The question is whether the seven-year-old gelding can cope with this different challenge and the fact that his connections have not previously been tempted has to raise a question mark. 

Forever Young is a top-class performer in his own right, has age on his side and, most significant, has raced exclusively on the dirt. 

Last year's Saudi Derby winner came up a bit short when third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but has since got back to winning ways in his native country. 

Facteur Cheval is flying the flag for Europe but the consistent French challenger needs a lot more than when third in last month’s Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan. At least he showed he could handle the dirt that day.