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| Rowan Anderson |
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Iconic.
Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah Al Saud was a leading figure in the sport of kings and his contributions in to horse racing in his colours is as legendary as the Prince himself.
Tomorrow Riyadh will host an eleven-race card highlighted by the race in his name in its second running, the Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup.
The final race on the card will be run over 2100 metres and worth SR 1 million paying respect in memory to a man who was more than just an owner-breeder. He was one of the most authentic and passionate horsemen to ever live.
Known throughout the racing world as the founder of breeding operation Juddmonte, producing over 200 Group 1 winners during his lifetime.
His ownership included race legends who went on to become names embedded in the fabric of the sport as well as producing offspring who have gone on to do the same.
Enable won 15 of her 19 races, including 11 Group One races with a CV adorned with wins in Breeders' Cup Turf, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks. She was also named the 2017 and 2019 European Horse of the Year.
Frankel was a champion and simply iconic unbeaten in his fourteen-race career, being named the highest-rated racehorse in the world from May 2011. He went on to take the spoils in major races that included 2000 Guineas Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, International Stakes and Champion Stakes.
He became an outstanding sire with offspring including Classic winners Adayar (Epsom Derby), Anapurna (Epsom Oaks), Hungry Heart (Australian Oaks) and Soul Stirring (Japanese Oaks), as well as Alpinista (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe). He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 2021.
Arrogate won seven from eleven starts and won the 2016 Travers Stakes in a track record time in his first stakes appearance. To start his four-year-campaign, he won the 2017 Pegasus World Cup in a new track record followed by a win in the Dubai World Cup. Despite having only four stakes race wins, the large purses for these wins made him the all-time leading money earner in North America.
These are only three examples of the legendary horses that the Prince owned, through his Juddmonte Farms owned but a clear example of the impact he had on the sport.
HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia told media the importance of this race.
“Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah is known throughout the racing world as one of the biggest contributors to the development of the Thoroughbred racehorse. His legacy took 40 years to build and it will be remembered for far more than 40 years in the future. The horses he produced and their exploits on the racecourse will live forever in the history books and in our memories.
“Now in its second year, the Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah Cup is our way of honouring the memory of a great racing mind and a beloved international sporting figure of whom Saudi Arabia is justifiably proud.
“Through this annual raceday we aim to educate racegoers about the global impact of Prince Khalid and continue to build on the quality and international spread of horses competing in his namesake race.”
This year’s race has attracted a field of 14 quality competitors from all corners of the world and is led by the Fawzi Nass-trained 5YO colt Qaader.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be running in a race in his [Prince Khalid’s] name.” the Bahrain based Nass said.
He will be making it his fourth start in Saudi after several promising runs last season which included a fourth and third finish at the Riyadh course.
Trainer Nass said his colt had been preparing nicely as he got worked towards his first start of the season.
“It’s a competitive race obviously, and he’s carrying top-weight, but hopefully he should go well.
“Adrie de Vries is going to fly in from Dubai [to ride]. He’s got a good draw in three, so there will be no excuses.”
With a good run tomorrow in the Cup further race opportunities in Riyadh would become a great possibility, as Nass said.
“The plan is to come back for the race he ran third in last year, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup over 10 furlongs on the dirt on January 28.
“Let’s get past these two hurdles and then we’ll see what’s next.”
The horse with the most winningest record is Calculation a 7YO Dubawi x Estimate progeny with eight wins to his name.
Last year it was jockey Camilo Ospina who saluted in the inaugural running aboard Alghareeban trained 6YO Star Of Wins.